The Beijing Olympics 2008 begins in exactly four weeks today and as always there have been a number of changes to the programme – although none as revolutionary as in 1896 when athletes were informed they would need to wear clothes (it was the first Games since 776BC) or as controversial as the addition of women's volleyball in Sydney 2000.

The trend in this Olympics is to add more women's events and there are no complaints this time as the two fencing events added ensure the women are all covered up (including their face) although the audience figures for this are not likely to reach close to the numbers the highly popular volleyball attracts as its female competitors clad in skimpy bikinis battle for gold.

The other trend of 2008 is the addition of more endurance races, ironically the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could not have picked a worse venue than Beijing to add the 10km marathon swim and the 3,000m women's steeplechase. Air pollution in the city is an issue of concern for many athletes and reports say that it is in the long distance competitions that participants have the most need to be wary.

The major addition to this year's showpiece sports event is BMX racing, which is short for bicycle motorcross. Although BMX bikes are associated with children, this extreme event is no child's play. Eight at a time, bikers race the 350 metres hilly obstacle course at break-neck speeds, performing aerobics and bumping and elbowing each other out of the way. The consequences of accidents make this sport the most potentially gruesome an Olympic Games is likely to have seen since the live pigeon shooting at the 1900 version. The 10km open water event for both male and female competitors also makes its debut in China and is another event that can potentially become physical. Unlike BMX racing dirty tactics here are not allowed, but are hard to stop when they're being done underwater.

It has been described by some competitors as a "wrestling match" as swimmers jostle for positions, which makes disabled athlete Natalie du Toit's qualification for the event even more amazing. The South African, who lost her left leg in an accident when she was 16, becomes the first disabled athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games.

In earlier Games, events such as croquet, rope-climbing and tug-of-war were part of the itinerary, Now (and thankfully too) in order for an event to be included in the Summer Olympics, it needs to be practised in at least 35 (for women) or 50 (for men) countries on three continents.

However, some bizarre events such as trampolining, which debuted in Sydney 2000, are still part of the programme. The gymnast has to propel themselves about nine metres in the air while executing a series of somersaults with their limbs in total control.

At the Beijing Olympics there will be 302 (165 men's, 127 women's and 10 mixed) events in total consisting of 28 sports. In a series of features, Emirates Business will take a detailed look at some of the Games' additions as well as the athletes to look out for.


New Women's Events and additional changes

At Beijing 2008 the number of women's events will be increased from 125 to 127.

This is part of the IOC's initiative to increase women's participation in the games as a whole. With the added events it should add approximately another 130 female athletes to the games.

These added events will include the women's 3,000 metre Steeplechase and women's team events in the foil and sabre fencing disciplines.

The new swimming event to be added at Beijing 2008 will be the gruelling Men and Women's 10km Marathon Swim. The race will be held at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park venue. This huge water venue has approximately 6.35 million square metres of water surface area.

All eyes will be on the women's race as the disabled athelete Natalie du Toit will take part after qualifying fourth out of 50 people for the event. Du Toit lost her left leg in an accident in her teens and will be one of the stories of the Games. In Table Tennis, doubles has been replaced with a team event.