China Wants To Make Sure Its Citizens Know How To Cheer

From The Financial Times and Sports Business Journal, it appears China is doing everything it can to get its "fans" to act like actual fans at the Olympics. (Which, jeez, is less than two months away now.)

It's really all quite organized.

The guideline is "designed to help spectators cheer in a 'smooth and civilised manner,'" and the four-step method "reflects government efforts to use the hosting of the Olympics as an opportunity to add impetus to long-standing drives to clamp down on bad habits such as unsporting conduct, spitting and queue-jumping." The method was "designed by a team of experts, involves rhythmic clapping, a double thumbs-up and raising of the spectators' clenched fists." The clapping process is to be "accompanied by the chanting of the phrase 'Olympics ... add oil! China ... add oil!' — a slogan more freely translated as 'Go Olympics! Go China!' — but officials say that other nations can be substituted for China when appropriate."

You know, we don't see any reason they shouldn't try this at American stadiums. It'd have to work better in Florida than the manatees. "A double thumbs-up and raising of the spectators' clenched fists." Go team!