Ten years after Beijing's triumphant Olympic games, many venues lie abandoned, rotting and forgotten

Metal has rusted, wood rotted and watersport parks run completely dry

The 2008 Beijing Olympics were hailed as a major success, with the venues' architecture lauded across the world.

However, a decade on from the international sporting spectacular, new images of the once-proud venues show them deserted and in advanced states of decay and disrepair.

Metal has rusted, wood rotted and watersport parks run completely dry.

General view of the Beach Volleyball stadium in Beijing taken on August 5, 2008 (Getty Images)

A plant growing in the beach volleyball stadium built for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (AFP/Getty Images)

Rotting wood on a stand in the beach volleyball stadium (AFP/Getty Images)

Cooling mist fans stored under the grandstand of the beach volleyball stadium (AFP/Getty Images)

Giant statues of mascots Nini, Yingjing and Beibei can be seen lying broken and abandoned on the ground.

The two main venues, the “Bird's Nest” stadium and the “Water Cube” aquatics centre are still popular tourist attractions, however.

The whitewater kayaking stadium built for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is now in disrepair (AFP/Getty Images)

"The successful Beijing Olympics helped to boost the self-confidence of the Chinese leadership - and people - that the country could go on to even greater strengths," Brian Bridges, an expert on sport and politics at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told AFP.

"Many of the arguments in favour of giving China the Games were that maybe they would adopt the Western system and there would be some change within the Chinese Communist Party," he added.

Beibei, one of five mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, lying amongst trees behind an abandoned, never-completed mall in Beijing (AFP/Getty Images)

Nini (L) and Yingying, two of the five mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, lying among trees (AFP/Getty Images)

Laoshan BMX venue during the Beijing Olympics (Getty Images)

Trees and weeds growing on a banked corner of the BMX track (AFP/Getty Images)

Legacy was an important part of London’s 2012 Olympic Games, to ensure a similar situation did not occur.

The Olympic stadium continues to host athletics events and is also the home to West Ham football club.

The Aquatics centre is available to members of the public, the Olympic village has been converted into properties and the Copper Box Arena is the home of the London Lions basketball team.