IOC Expresses Concern Over Beijing Air Quality, Network Access

IOC Still Concerned About Beijing's Air Quality

KEEPING THEIR DISTANCE: In Philadelphia, Marcus Hayes reported most of the Australian track & field athletes, to "avoid any smog-related ailments, ... will not march in the opening ceremony Aug. 8 and will remain in Hong Kong to train until the meat of their schedule begins Aug. 15." Similarly, the entire British team will "train in Macau until those athletes are called upon to compete." Both locations are "about as far from Beijing as New York City is from Miami" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 7/8). 

ON THE GROUND: USOC Chief of Sports Performance Steve Roush, in a Q&A with the DENVER POST's John Meyer, said of the air quality in Beijing, "I still remain concerned. ... Cautiously optimistic is probably where I am. ... The heat and humidity is going to be abusive to the athletes." Roush said BOCOG is "doing an amazing job, never having hosted this level of competition." But he added, "The part that concerns me is that you don't have Games-experienced personnel there to assist and realize when something's not working as well as the architect drew it up." Roush noted it is costing the USOC "over $2[M]" to house its athletes for the Games (DENVER POST, 7/8).

Print This Article