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What I don't get is that they have known for what, 4 years or so that the Olympics would be held in their uber-polluted city, and have done next to nothing to rectify the situation, and THAT has been done too late to make a difference. Doesn't the IOC take environment into account? Just seems really stupid to me. And I've read a couple of reports the past couple of weeks about athletes boycotting because of the air quality. Such a shame.
I agree that "cold hard cash" has a lot to do with this and I'm not too impressed with the IOC, but then, the IOC has never really impressed me in the past...
This being said, I would be curious to see some hard data about this pollution thing. Los Angeles and Athens are not especially "clean air" cities either, and lots of athletes were sick in Athens (I'm a bit too young to remember much about LA). Any data, anyone?
At the time, Beijing won the Olympic bid to host the event, I truly wondered the sanity ..given the air quality.
I haven't been to Asia...yet. But I should have gone and nearly did, before Tienamen Square massacre event occurred.
Air quality was better then in Beijing. Now I worry with my partner's higher sensitivity to air pollution due to his allergies..
Most people that I know who lived for several years in the major Asian cities Bangkok, Beijing, Manila....marvel at the "clearer" air of Canada where they are now.
Beijing's pollution might be made more complex and dangerous because of China's coal-burning industries in nearby regions.. and other toxic particulate where it might be more heavily regulated for emissions in Canada and the U.S.
You're not the only one. The USOC officials through the cyclists under the bus, so to speak. The officials are just too worried about offending China.
In a great synergy of politics and athletics, Lopez Lomong, one of Sudan's 'lost boys' and member of Team Darfur (and US citizen since 2007), was chosen by his peers to carry the US flag into the opening ceremonies.
What a great move. He deserves the honor as an athlete and teammate. But I've read articles that paint the US team as politically unaware, as if they don't read about current events or care. I met paralympic sprinter, and world record holder April Holmes and asked her about the political ramifications of this game and she said they are so focussed on training that it's not as if they don't read or care, the athletes just have to focus on their training. Heh, heh, I suppose that's the party line or what they say ;)
Here in a subtle move that speaks volumes to the tragic situation in Darfur which we all, not just any one country should care about the US team chose this athlete.
I'm so very proud of them.
Quiet, dignified, yet what a huge statement to the world when they enter the stadium.
My brother travels a lot for his company and he always tells me how bad Beijing's air is and not to go there for this reason.
He tries not to go himself but sometimes he just has to because of work. He was just saddened when he heard that the olympics were to take place there.
What was the IOC thinking????????? It's all about the $$$$$$ SAD!
Bad air and athletes . . . NOT GOOD!
Heaven forbid we should offend anyone. So the pollution AND the human rights violations will just be two huge giant proverbial elephants in the corner for the duration of the Olympics. I hate politics.
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson gives his take on Beijing here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...d=opinionsbox1