Vancouver Olympic Games
Beijing Olympics 2008
The Olympic Games
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Olympians Prepare for Beijing's Air Pollution
As the Olympics draw near, athletes are worried about the impact the poor air quality in Beijing will have on their performance.
Mr. Randy Wilber, lead physiologist for the United States Olympic Committee, is tasked with assisting Olympians train effectively as well as safely.
“If they thought locking themselves in the garage with the car running would help them win a gold medal, I’m sure they would do it. Our job, obviously, is to prevent that,” said Wilber.
Wilber is encouraging all Olympians to wear a mask over their nose and mouth from the time they land in Beijing until they are about to compete.
World-record marathon runner, Haile Gebrselassie, has told reporters he might have to skip the marathon event in favor of a shorter distance at the Olympics because of the air pollution.
In April 2007, an international environmental team announced it had produced an Environmental Protection Agency-funded report on the poor air quality in Beijing.
Steve Page, director of EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, said, "Typical industrial, coal-burning cities within several hundred kilometers of Beijing add to the local pollution. In these areas, emission controls on stationary sources and vehicles are not as stringent as in Beijing, and emissions are high.”
The 2008 Olympics will run from Aug. 8–24.