Athens provided another reminder that host nations automatically qualify for all events. In 2004 Greece entered at least one athlete or team into 300 events. This repeats two long-standing features of the Olympics: the host nation sends the largest delegation and can harvest a bumper crop of medals. Sydney 2000 illustrated this well. Then, Australia won 115 medals, or about 6% of all medals. A great achievement. But it was all the more significant because it doubled the aggregated haul of about 3% Australian medals per games (since 1896). Being a host doesn't necessarily guarantee success, of course. Greece won 13 medals in Sydney but even with home advantage won only slightly more, 16, in 2004. 

But there is clearly a conundrum if the host nation can win with athletes that would not have otherwise qualified. Whilst the IOC determine eligibility rules, and for now wildcards are not allowed, China does have one ace for 2008. They can put in place a wildcard system for talented Chinese athletes that missed traditional qualifying, but nonetheless to have at least a slim chance of winning. Wildcard systems work in tennis and golf and many other individual sports. So why not for China's Olympics team? Hopefully if the world sees a China wildcard system work it can help to stimulate the IOC to change some eligibility rules.

Beijing has to be ruthless in policing both their own athletes and others. Competitors must conclude cheating through drugs is simply impossible. In Athens, the first four places of each event were automatically tested. This makes sense. Yet why did some winning athletes still fail tests? The answer is brutal and worrying: there is still clearly a perception that in some ways you can get away with it. 

Given the Beijing Games will see over 300 medal ceremonies this should mean upwards of 1,200 tests (300 x 4 athletes per event). Added to random checking of  urine samples, both medal winners and other competitors, Beijing and the IOC are clearly going to have a massive testing system. In Athens, somewhere around 1-in-5 were tested at some stage and in some way. If Beijing can help put this to 1-in-4 so much the better.

So much for the athletes from overseas. Even greater care must be made that Chinese athletes from home do not cheat. Unfortunately for Greece the problem of steroid abuse loomed over one of their athletes intended to light the Olympic Flame. It's little exaggeration that a few days before the games started, Mr Kostas Kenteris was a Greek national hero. He was the reigning champion of one of the signature events, the 200 metres sprint. Yet, at the beginning of the Games he withdrew rather than face both a drugs test and an IOC discipline body. He became a Greek pariah overnight. Worse, it emerged he probably faked a motorcycle accident as a smokescreen. As own goals go they are not much more impressive than that. If China can avoid them she will already have bettered the Greeks.

An attractive innovation by the Greeks, and a first in the modern Olympics, is that winning athletes are crowned with an olive wreath in addition to receiving medals. Known as a 'kotinos' the wreath was used in the ancient games. In those times it was the sole mark of victory. Silver and bronze placing is a modern invention. 

The olive was the sacred tree of Athena, from whom Athens takes its names. In legend Athena sprang directly from the forehead of Zeus so no doubt there is some symbolism why the kotinos are wrapped around the forehead. Anyway, the look is excellent. They add a distinctive Olympic touch and should be maintained by Beijing.

In 2004 an Iranian athlete, Mr Mirasmaeili, refused to compete with an Israeli. The official excuse was that he could not make his weight. Given Mr Mirasmaeili flew to Athens in the first place, that he carried the Iranian flag in the opening ceremony, and that he only discovered his weight problem after the draw against Mr Vaks was announced, this sounds rather unconvincing.

Whilst Athens saw fudging about Mr Mirasmaeili's weight back in Iran things were altogether less fudgy. The Iranian president, Mr Mohammad Khatami, said Mr Mirasmaeili's act of withdrawal will be 'recorded among the nation's glories'. Iran's Olympic officials quickly added that it was national policy to refrain from competing against Israeli athletes as a gesture of support for the Palestinians. Oh dear.

This is not to criticise sanctions in sports per se. They have their role and those imposed against South Africa over apartheid are one notable success. Afghanistan was punished by the IOC in 1999 owing to its absurd ban on women athletes. Iran were lucky not to join them. In 2004 they sent only a single female competitor who was anyway required to wear Islamic headdress throughout her shooting competition.

Beijing should note well. It is at risk if gestures like this get out of hand. Political gestures over Tibet and its internal human rights record, to name but two challenges to China's Communists, may be valid - in fact I think they are extremely valid - but they should stay out of the Games. Beijing needs to spread the word that the Olympics stand for a time of truce and friendship. Lessons from Athens 2004 show that Greece should have been more communicative behind the scenes. There was no education process, for example, or gentle persuasion that there is no UN or IOC imposed sanctions against Israel. No other Arab countries are implementing polices against competition with Israeli athletes. So not only was Iran implicitly snubbing their noses at the UN they also did likewise at the rest of the Arab world. And forcing a great athlete into a fudge about weight makes both him and his country look weak and ungracious.

After hearing of the Competition Interruptus, the International Judo Federation said it perfectly: 'Tolerance, solidarity, peace and friendship. These are the values of the Olympics and these are the values of judo'. Beijing needs to stress this point, for its own good and for the Olympics too.

Athens saw a new twist on the streaker. No bonus marks for artistic impression in the belly flop. Perhaps some technical merit scores were deserved for the Greek tutu (fuchsia), tight trousers (off cream) and shoes (dark tan). Allegedly tattooed across this protestor's upper body was an advert for some casino or other whose name I forget. They're all the same those casinos.

Yes, a nod of appreciation to Mr Benshimon for the entertainment. But this demonstrator at Athens 2004 proves Beijing 2008 needs to expunge all pranksters more aggressively. Russian, Chinese and American diving teams each made mistakes in the final round after Mr Benshimon's belly flop- cum- synchronised swimming routine. And in the end the Greeks won. 

By far the utter idiot of Athens 2004, a Mr Horan deliberately slowed a competing athlete. Mr Vanderlei de Lima (Brazil) had led for much of the marathon. About four miles from the finish, Mr Horan pushed him to the side of the road in order to publicise a nutty placard: 'The Grand Prix priest. Israel fulfilment of prophecy says the bible, the second coming is near'. Vital seconds were lost and in the end Mr de Lima came only third in a race that many thought he would have won without the intervention. 

At least Mr Bershimon, the tutu diver, attempted to be entertaining and had unintended consequences on the outcome. But there is absolutely nothing entertaining about directly preventing an athlete who has trained for years achieving his maximum performance. One wonders how Mr Horan would feel if his son was in the same position as Mr de Lima. Earlier in the year Mr Horan interrupted the British Grand Prix at Silverstone with a placard which read: 'Read the Bible. The Bible is always right.' It's clear that as well as being unfunny he's unacquainted with reality. 

The odd thing is that, officially at least, Athens 2004 organisers claimed they successfully sold two-thirds of over five million tickets on sale. That sounds good.

But something was wrong. In the first week of the games the absence of spectators was notable. Something like a few dozen watched Britain's Tim Henman lose in the tennis. Okay, bad example. But there was clearly something over-stated when only a few appeared to be interested. Even if the major track and field were relatively well attended people all too easily remember the empty seats. 

One obvious step to take in Beijing 2008: make sure spectators are (relatively) crammed into limited seating areas rather than being allowed to sit wherever they wish in huge stadiums. Just because there are 10,000 seats available there is no need to allow free seating for a few hundred. This can help make the Beijing 2008 games look consistently well attended by dedicated fans, even if the absolute number is small. The alternative of letting fans/spectators sit wherever they please can make stadium's look very empty. Worse, they look like they are filled by only casual observers.

Congratulations to Ms Kelly Holmes whose victory in both 800 and 1500 meters at Athens 2004 seemed to take both her and others by surprise. Britain last achieved this particular double gold in 1912 (Albert Hill). Britain have only won six other double golds and all of them in less well-known events like three-day eventing (horses) and swimming / waterpolo. 

All told the double 800/1500 is a rare Olympic feat. It has only occurred three times over 28 Olympic Games. That is around 1-in-10 times. So on current form, between now and the middle of the 21st century we will see this feat only once more. Beijing should introduce special prizes and recognition for these rare feats of winning special doubles. 

Finally, Beijing should look more carefully in proclaiming medal victories lest nationalism rear an ugly head or two. 

Per capita record paints a much fairer picture of where countries are doing well. This looks at the number of medals won relative to the number of people in a country at the time. And when you look closely it turns out that the US and China, likely the two biggest medal winners in 2008, are notably less efficient than other countries. Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden, Norway and as an honorary member Denmark) and the Caribbean (Saint Kitts & Nevis, Bahamas) are much more efficient. Additionally, it is not France and Britain from western Europe that stand out but Hungary and Bulgaria from Eastern Europe. Australasia is also relatively more athletic, with New Zealand being the 10th most efficient medal-winning nation and Australia close behind on 12th.  Beijing should take a lead in emphasising per capita success.