Olympians consider masks due to air quality in Beijing
Rogge: Beijing smog may affect athletes
By GILLIAN WONG, Associated Press Writer Posted Sat Apr 5, 2008 7:54am PDT
SINGAPORE - Beijing's heavy pollution may hurt the performances of athletes in this summer's Olympic Games, although it will not endanger their health, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said Saturday.
The IOC in recent months has acknowledged the possibility that athletes' performances may be affected by China's pollution. But Chinese leaders have made repeated assurances that Beijing's notorious smog will be solved before the Olympic Games begin.
"The health of the athletes is absolutely not in any danger," Rogge said Saturday. "It might be that some will have to have a slightly reduced performance, but nothing will harm the health of the athletes. The IOC will take care of that."
Rogge was asked to comment on the decision by Haile Gebrselassie, the world's greatest distance runner, not to run the men's marathon in Beijing because of worries over pollution.
"Haile Gebrselassie is arguably the best long-distance runner of the present generation," Rogge said, adding however, the runner is "slightly asthmatic."
Rogge was not ruling out the possibility that Gebrselassie could change his mind nearer to the date.
"He decided so far — I'm saying so far because we don't know how things will evolve — not to participate in the marathon," he said. "I would say, wait and see ... when he sees the data that we are providing for them."
Rogge had previously said outdoor events in August's games could be delayed if the air quality was too poor.
Pollution — in addition to the violence in Tibet and other human rights issues — had been a major concern for China and the International Olympic Committee in the lead up to the Aug. 8-24 Olympics. Some athletes are reportedly considering wearing masks to ward off the bad air in Beijing, while many will delay their arrival in China's capital until the last possible moment.
The Tibet protests and other human rights issues had led activists to call for boycotts of the Beijing Olympics, and some high-ranking political leaders — including French President Nicolas Sarkozy — had said they may boycott the opening ceremony.
"We are not seeing a real momentum on boycotts by governments," Rogge said.
"There are talks about the potential boycotts of the opening ceremony.
"It is up to the heads of government to decide if they want to come to Beijing or not."
The early stages of the torch relay had attracted protests by activists, mostly concerned with Tibetan sovereignty, and more were expected as it traveled through western Europe and the United States.
"We are definitely not happy with the protests," Rogge said. "If people want to protest, we are for the freedom of speech and expression. They can protest as long as it is not violent."
Rogge said the IOC executive committee would meet April 10 to examine the latest report by human rights group Amnesty International, which was critical of China's lack of progress on such issues as detention without trial, repression of human right activists and Internet censorship.
Rogge and IOC executive board member Sergei Bubka traveled to Singapore to observe preparations for the first Youth Olympic Games to be held there in 2010. The Youth Games will feature about 3,200 athletes aged 14-18 competing in 26 sports.
I'm visualizing Track and Field w/ little white masks on right now, It looks strange in my head.
_________________
Did I dream this belief, or did I believe this dream?
Peter Gabriel
If only closed minds came with closed mouths. Lau: "But where would they put their feet?" Postpaleo: "Up their ass."
I didnt post it as a form of "racism".
I choose to post it due to the fact that I care about the climate.
"Reika aka tree-hugger"
Never even gave it a second thought about how it pertains to "race." Didnt realize that something about the climate could be misconstrued as being racist.
Am still somewhat confused as to how bad air quality translates to racism? Please explain.
If it had been about Germany, or America, of England would it be considered "racist" I think not.
Maybe if they didnt have such horrid air pollution they would't receive bad press about it. Pollution doesn't care where your from apparantly and neither do I.
_________________
Did I dream this belief, or did I believe this dream?
Peter Gabriel
If only closed minds came with closed mouths. Lau: "But where would they put their feet?" Postpaleo: "Up their ass."
The non stop barrage of bad publicity every part of China is getting from the Western Press since the news of the Olympics started, over every possible thing they can think of.
TBH they don't do themselves any favours though. See the recent farce about the Olympic torch and the dubious activities of the PAP in guarding it.
It is after all entirely possible that China receives bad press because it does bad things.
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"There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart,
that you can't take part" [Mario Savo, 1964]
Sometimes the American media goes too far and China-bashing is a rampant trend right now, for many reasons. But I shouldn't have let my feelings about that interfere with the thread.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080416/med ... ina_cnn_dc
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080416/med ... ina_cnn_dc
China is a borderline fascist state, so bashing is totally appropriate. It is a threat to the world that needs to be contained.
I'm no fan of China, and the horrible things they do to both animals and people. Gebrselassie's excuse was stupid, in my opinion, however. He is a good athlete, but he disappointed me big time.
China stinks, literally and in its outlook on life, but a boycott would be a dumb idea. If I would ever make to the Olympics (fat chance that would ever happen!), I sure wouldn't want to flush all my training down the toilet, as happened in 1980.
Saying "I'm no fan of China" or "China is horrible" is like saying, I'm no fan of planet Earth, Planet Earth is horrible. It is too vast to sum up like that. When I watch the news and see the sociopathic atrocities and genocide comitted by the US Goverment, historically and present day, I am very upset but I don't going around saying "I'm no fan of the United States - its horrible. I'm never gong to go there" because that would be ignorant, uneducated and absurd. It is a vast place, its vast enough to contain contradiction, as they say. China is a place of great wonders, goodness and life just as it is a place of injustice. The same can be said about other countries.
As always, the nation as a whole is blamed for the actions of the few, and as always the few who are to blame are the head of big business and those who govern. Like everywhere else in the world.
_________________
"There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart,
that you can't take part" [Mario Savo, 1964]