While it may not come close to the world-beating levels experienced in cities like Cairo and Delhi, Beijing is one of the most heavily polluted cities on Earth -- so much so that its air quality may cause delays to certain Olympic endurance events.
Hein Verbruggen, chairman of the IOC coordination commission, said there was a small chance of athletes suffering some damage to their health if they took part in events lasting longer than an hour, such as the marathon and cycling road races.
Beijing is one of the most polluted cities in the world and, despite a 120 billion yuan ($17.12 billion) clean-up over the last decade, air quality remains a concern for many athletes coming to the Olympics, already a lightning rod for rights protests worldwide.
As you can imagine, a distance runner like Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie is a bit concerned, especially since he suffers from asthma. In fact, Gebrselassie has decided not to participate in this summer's Olympics because of the poor conditions outdoors in Beijing.
At this rate, I'd be concerned about the Olympic torch failing to reach its final destination, the available ambient oxygen being too low to keep the flame lit. Citius, Altius, Pneumoconiosis!
Beijing pollution risky for endurance athletes [Yahoo! Sports]
Pollution Levels for Major World Cities [World Bank]
(Just a friendly reminder: Our t-shirts make excellent particulate filters! Why not buy one today?)
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