Australian Olympic Athletes Urged To Arrive In Beijing As Late As Possible Next Year - AFP

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Australia's Olympic chief confirmed Tuesday that his nation's athletes were being advised to arrive in Beijing at the last minute for next year's Olympics because of air quality and food concerns. "You won't be seeing too many of our athletes (in Beijing) until four or five days before their events," Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates told reporters.

Beijing has been shrouded in an industrial haze in the run up to Wednesday's one-year countdown to the Games. Coates said that the air outside his downtown hotel room "doesn't look too good" and that air pollution was "probably the biggest issue for us and the team." As a result athletes were being encouraged to make final preparations in Australia and arrive in Beijing four days before they compete, although they would be free to come earlier if they chose, he added.

"(But) that only is going to increase the risk or respiratory or gastro-illnesses," said Coates, who had previously indicated that athletes would turn up late.

Coates said competitors were being told to eat only in the athletes village during the Games, following a series of safety scandals involving Chinese food products sold domestically and abroad.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2007/070807074637.gk1f320e.html

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1. Any bets on how many athletes succumb to respiratory problems on live TV?