Smog + Athletes = Olympic Size Trouble

The stadium is almost done, the tickets are being sold, but China is still having trouble with their air. Beijing, China was officially chosen as the host city for the 2008 Olympic games (also known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad) on July 13th, 2001. With the games set for August 8th through the 24th, 2008, the city is well on its way to celebrating the unique athletic abilities of the approximate 10,500 athletes scheduled to compete for gold. But one big problem awaits...Air pollution in the region is often well above acceptable and healthy levels. Go to the photo gallery of Beijing smog.

According to a report from sciencedirect.com, fine particulates and ozone are creating serious air quality problems. The report indicates that while China made significant air quality improvements in the last 2 decades, continued economic growth and expansion have again made the air more volatile. And, while ozone is considered a benefit in the upper atmosphere, ground level ozone can pose serious health threats. Making matters worse, the high temperatures and humidity plus low wind speeds create a stagnation in the air. And, if it doesn't rain enough to cleanse the air and help wash away some of the particulates, the spectators and athletes could suffer. (This is even more dangerous for the athletes who breathe in more air while in competition.) According to this article, coaches are telling their athletes to wear carbon filtration masks! (I bet the original Olympians never envisioned this...It almost makes a statement about today's world...What do you think?)

For more information or for ticketing, go to the Beijing 2008 website and visit the Beijing Smog Photos page to see the problem. You may also want to go to this tutorial which shows how to check ozone and smog levels near your home.