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August 7th, 2008

Many Olympic Athletes in Beijing Taking Precautionary Measures Against Poor Air Quality

Health News posted 4 years ago by The Healia Team

Poor air quality is on the minds of many Olympic athletes in Beijing. Yesterday, a Portuguese cyclist withdrew from the Olympic Games and many American cyclists wore face masks when they arrived. Although the IOC medical authority believed yesterday’s air quality to be non-hazardous, many athletes took their health into their own hands.

Portugal's Sergio Paulinho withdrew from the Olympic Games due to concerns about a respiratory problem that may get worse in areas of heavy air pollution. Marathoner Haile Gebrselassie from Ethiopia, who has asthma, said he would not compete because of the poor air quality in Beijing.

China promised to clean up the air when they were initially awarded the Olympic Games. Despite efforts to reduce automobile traffic and close polluting factories, some recent air quality measurements have been far below World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The IOC monitors the government's hourly analysis of air quality and plans to postpone or cancel events if needed.

For additional information, see Healia’s blog: Air Quality Proving to be Major Concern for Beijing Olympics.