The Beijing 08 Olympics Could Have Worse Air Than A Fat Guy Convention At Bennigans

If you’re planning to attend next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing and, you know, breathe well, the World Health Organization has some news for you.

“All of the [Chinese] cities are pretty highly polluted,” said [World Health Organization's] Dr Michal Krzyzanowski. “Beijing belongs to the most polluted…I’d be amazed if substantial progress is made in the next 12 months.”
“People who do have heart problems, they might wish to reconsider their willingness to travel…. for them, exposure to high pollution levels may be a trigger to serious problems.”

Yikes. Since the report, the U.S. Olympic Committee has decided to begin sneaking their athletes across the border to train in Mexico City. Between its high pollution and high elevation, it’s like breathing through a straw over there. Running the 100-meter dash in three minutes is like running it in 10 seconds anywhere else.
Beijing smog raises health fears [BBC]
Image [BBC]