Given the spectacles that took place during the Hong Kong and Shenzhen (and later) legs of the torch relay earlier this summer, a rule like will probably go a long way to prevent any heated or violent outbursts during the Games. At least, it's definitely creating a lot of heated discussion, and a lot of netizens are wondering: “Why?”

The simple answer is that no banners more than 2 meters in length and 1 meter in width are allowed at the Olympics. Chinese MySpace user Jiuduo is one of many netizens that have reposted the official prepared statement that's been circulating with the story today, presented as a conversation between an unnamed Xinhua reporter and an unnamed Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee spokesperson. Here's the question about the ban on “Go China!” banners:

记者：为何禁止携带诸如“中国加油”这样的横幅或标语牌？

北京奥组委：本届奥运会在北京举办，我们是主场，志愿者知道大家写的是“中国加油”，不是什么不好的话，但是其他200多个国家的观众写的文字我们都能看懂吗？让不让进？我们想象一下，在上届雅典奥运会或者下届伦敦奥运会，如果别人由于不认识中文而不让我们带着准备好的横幅进去，我们会是什么样的心情？

另外，奥运五环象征着五大洲的团结以及全世界运动员以公正、坦率的比赛和友好的精神在奥林匹克运动会上相见，奥运会的比赛精神是公平、公正的竞赛精神。我们要使奥运会超越一切意识形态，无论是中国、日本、美国，还是法国，所有人都能像奥运五环一样，大家开心地在一起享受盛事，增进彼此了解。如果现场出现各种各样的横幅一定会破坏这样的氛围，所以国际奥委会几十年来一直坚持制定这项规则。

Or does the potential for UV-intensive displays of Chinese patriotism have nothing to do with this? From the comments section of Jiuduo's post:

为什么？那可以带其他国家“Ｘ国加油”的横幅吗？在自己家里不可以带真有点笑话了．

我带一长1.9，宽0.9的旗子进去成不？害怕就说害怕，别那么多冠冕堂皇的话。你说怕藏独举口号，没人说你怂，何必呢。