A former United States Olympic team and Pan American games head physician gives the facts regarding drug use at the highest levels of athletic competition.

"This is a cleverly written and timely book. New Society Publishers have managed to put a well-designed paperback on the market just in time to wage a war of words, on the tail end of a province-wide gag law. Indeed, the cloak of silence surrounding all things Olympic have taken us to new levels, as even the digits 2010, preceded by the name of our fair city, are considered fair game, and grounds for libel. A historical perspective on the original intent and players in the Games from the days of their creation answers trivia quesitons like" who was the first athlete to win the gold?", while adding a nostalgic touch, and the chapter on dissent and resistance of the Olympics in other cities brings the whole book into international focus." - Christina Ferrero, Epoch Times The shiny rings of the Olympic Games have grown tarnished over the years as doping, corruption, and other scandals rise to the surface. Those scandals are the tip of the iceberg, according to author Christopher A. Shaw, the lead spokesperson for several anti-Games groups. Five Ring Circus details the history of how Vancouver won the bid for the 2010 Games, who was involved, and what the real motives were. It describes the role of corporate media in promoting the Games, the machinations of government and business, and the opposition that emerged. Disturbing questions come to light: Why does the International Olympic Committee pay no taxes? Who are the real estate developers behind the Vancouver bid? Why are mega projects paid for with tax dollars? What are the true costs of the Games? The Olympic Games, once considered the pinnacle of athleticism and fair play, have become a cesspool of greed, backroom deals, and the wholesale trampling of civil liberties. In Vancouver, preparations for the 2010 Games have had a substantial negative impact on the environment and have resulted in the “economic cleansing” of the poor and homeless. This book is a cautionary tale for future Olympic bid cities, and will appeal to those concerned about the effects of globalization on many aspects of life. Christopher A. Shaw is a professor at the University of British Columbia. He is a founding member and lead spokesperson for the No Games 2010 Coalition and 2010 Watch. He lives in North Vancouver.

"International Athletic Foundation for the support of the IAAF"--Title page.

When Australian homicide detective Inspector Scobie Malone is treating his family to dinner at one of Sydney’s best Chinese restaurants, a masked killer suddenly enters and shoots three men dining nearby. The stakes are raised when Scobie finds out that one of the victims was an investor in the multimillion-dollar construction project Olympic Tower, built to house VIPs during the 2000 Olympic Games. But in the midst of union disputes and an economic slump, the tower is still unfinished. Scobie has stumbled upon a scam that could show Sydney’s underbelly as much as it shows its seedy characters—from former Chinese government men to the mysterious Madame Tzu. Even as the Olympics approach, sportsmanship is nowhere to be found.

If the Beijing Olympics convinced you China is changing...think on this If it was, would China's media police have tried to airbrush from existence every less-than complimentary reference to the Olympic facilities? If it was, would the government have introduced transparency legislation then ban the press from writing about it?

For almost twenty years, the world wrestling federation ruled under the big top of sports entertainment... Then it all came crashing down. But how did things get so bad so quickly? What really triggered the federation's self-destruction? And how did a man acknowledged as a genius in business, promotion, and entertainment, a latter-day P.T. Barnum of wrestling's greatest show on earth, become his own worst enemy? All will be revealed in this shocking, entertaining, and always witty foray into the One Ring Circus that is pro wrestling.

Published together for the first time, this anthology of essays on boxing covers the sport in all its forms and at its many levels. Written in bestselling author Katherine Dunn's characteristic vernacular, these pieces range from portraits of legendary fighters such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, and Mike Tyson to the unsung stories of trainers, amateurs, promoters, cutmen, and a pair of pugilistic priests. Spanning 30 years and including all who make up the vibrant boxing world, this compilation--from one of the most original voices in American sports literature--finely elevates the sport and communicates its beauty, passion, and character.