Academic

That's Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, trying to contain the damage. Of course, he can't admit that Beijing was the wrong choice for the Olympics, but isn't it obvious? Rogge:

It is very easy with hindsight to criticise the decision. It's easy to say now that this was not a wise and a sound decision. Without any doubt, the bid of Beijing was the best. It offered something that no other country could: bringing sport and Olympism to one fifth of mankind. That was the reasoning behind awarding the Games to Beijing.

Did he really say "Olympism"?

Anyway, the lesson here is that the IOC lost its leverage when it awarded the games. Reform then reward, not the other way around. That's not hindsight. That's just common sense.