Beijing pollution no threat to athletes: IOC - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Beijing pollution no threat to athletes: IOC
Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:18am EDT

By Karolos Grohmann

ATHENS (Reuters) - Pollution at the Beijing Olympics poses
no immediate threat to athletes' health but could affect
world-class performances, the International Olympic
Committee's top medical official Arne Ljungqvist said on
Monday.

"I believe the conditions will be good for athletes although
they will not necessarily be ideal," the IOC medical
commission chief told reporters in a conference call from
Sweden.

"There may be some risks," he added. "They would be
associated with prolonged high risk respiratory functions.
(Athletes) may breathe a lot of air that may be polluted.
We may not see world records in unfavorable conditions."

-snip-

"People with asthma may suffer more than others.
Gebrselassie's decision is a private one but I would not
say his example should be the golden standard for others,"
Ljungqvist said.

-snip-


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL173567020080317

[phantom power]

1. Heh. Even the IOC's spokesman can't do better than "Well, it shouldn't kill anybody"

[madrchsod]

2. ask the women`s world cup teams why they avoided china

for most of their practices. they were very concerned about air pollution in china because soccer/football is the only outdoor sport that plays over 90 minutes in the polluted air...

[phantom power]

3. You know, I bet the networks are going to hate this venue too...

Can you imagine having to broadcast B-footage that looks like this?

[tom_paine]

7. Not to worry. Our Bushie TV Spinmeisters will have the TV signal "cleaned up"

before it is broadcast to the Imperial Subjects.

You can count on the fact that, on the TV, Beijing's air will be as cool and clear as Northern canada's.

End of story. This entire Empire is one big lie, and it is naive to expect that the telvising of the Olympics to the peasantry will be any different than the "Saddam Statue Toppling Ceremony".

Which is to say it will be a lie.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. self delete

somebody already posted the pic

[losthills]

5. What a farce.....

[DCKit]

6. "Gebrselassie's decision is a private one..."

The good thing is that so few athletes give a shit about their health.

:sarcasm:

I know I'd be pissed if I hosted an Olympics and nobody came. I wonder how China will react.

:nuke:

[Javaman]

8. When reading this article, just keep in mind that it's all about money.

Personally, I'm a big Olympic Geek, but I will be boycotting this one for environmental reasons.