Curtain call

The party's over as 'truly exceptional' Games go out with a bang | Photos

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Olympians touch down

PM Kevin Rudd greets Stephanie Rice. (AAP)

The majority of Australia's Beijing Olympic Games athletes have touched down in Sydney this morning to a heroes' welcome.

Doping casts doubt on equestrian future

The future of Olympic equestrian events is in doubt after doping scandals rocked at the Hong Kong venue.

China deports eight detained Americans

China has deported eight Americans who were detained in Beijing last week after a wave of pro-Tibet protests coinciding with the Olympics, the US embassy says.

Sore heads for partying Aussie athletes

There were more than a few Australian athletes with sore heads on Monday morning after a night out celebrating the end of the Beijing Games.

PHOTOS:

Steph's wild dance floor

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Friday Oct 31 08:18 AEDT

Hot Rice no match for Thorpe

By Jim Morton | 31 Oct 2008

Golden girl Stephanie Rice's Beijing treble topped Australia's favourite Olympic moments but she still couldn't fill the huge shoes of Ian Thorpe.

Thursday Oct 23 06:58 AEDT

German rider disqualified from Olympics

23 Oct 2008

German rider Christian Ahlmann has been officially disqualified from the Beijing Olympics equestrian events for a positive drug test on his horse.

Saturday Oct 18 06:41 AEDT

Irish rider disqualified from Olympics

18 Oct 2008

Irish rider Denis Lynch was officially disqualified on Friday from the Beijing Olympics equestrian events for a positive drug test on his horse.

Friday Oct 17 06:18 AEDT

Victory parade for British medallists

17 Oct 2008

Britain's medallists and competitors from the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games held a victory parade through London to the cheers of thousands of wellwishers.

Dozen Beijing Games samples suspect: IOC

17 Oct 2008

Urine samples from the Beijing Games are suspect but they cannot be considered doping cases as they do not fit WADA guidelines, the IOC medical director says.

Thursday Oct 9 14:43 AEDT

IOC to retest Beijing doping samples

By Stephen Wilson | 9 Oct 2008

Any athletes who thought they got away with doping at the Beijing Olympics shouldn't rest easy. The drug police are coming back.

Thursday Oct 9 12:47 AEDT

Beijing drug cheats 'could be caught'

9 Oct 2008

Any drug cheats who took part in the Beijing Olympics could well be caught out by the fresh testing of samples, WADA president John Fahey says.

Wednesday Oct 8 23:54 AEDT

IOC to retest Beijing blood samples

8 Oct 2008

Blood samples taken at the Beijing Olympics will be re-analysed for banned blood booster EPO using a new system developed for the Tour de France, the IOC says.

Wednesday Oct 1 21:55 AEST

China's gold medal gymnasts 'old enough'

By Graham Dunbar and Nancy Armour | 1 Oct 2008

China's Olympic gold medal gymnasts at the Beijing Games were old enough to compete, but the team that won bronze in Sydney still faces questions, FIG says.

Thursday Sep 25 08:09 AEST

Probe into China athletes' ages widens

By Nancy Armour | 25 Sep 2008

The investigation into the ages of China's gold-medal women's gymnastics team has been expanded to include members of the Sydney 2000 Olympic team, reports say.

Tuesday Sep 23 06:22 AEST

King, US dressage team disqualified

23 Sep 2008

The United States has been disqualified from its fourth-place finish in the Olympic team dressage event for a positive drug test.

Blog: Great leaps forward

Olympic venues during the Opening Ceremony (AAP)

And the silver goes to...The Beijing Olympics get top marks on a technical level but a lack of artistry — and emotion — means they aren't the greatest Games ever, writes Mat Mackay.