US Olympic Swim Team Members Report Visible Haze Inside Aquatic Center

[hatrack]

The first practices of the U.S. swim team might have provided an unpleasant answer. The U.S swimmers, as well as the Australian swim team, said when they arrived for their initial practice at the Beijing Olympics Aquatic Center on Monday, they noticed what could only be described as a visible haze hovering around the ceiling.

" they said it was the worst it's been," Erik Vendt, a member of the American 800-meter freestyle relay team, said yesterday. "It was horrible. It was almost laughable, it was so bad. I came into and I didn't know if it was my eyes, but I definitely saw something. It was definitely hazy in here."

EDIT

The American swimmers, including Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, weren't the only ones concerned. Australian coach Alan Thompson went looking for answers after his team practiced as to how such a thing was even possible. "There was a slight haze around the roof level, but it was gone this morning," Thompson said. "As long as it's gone, it's good."

Australian swimmer Grant Hackett, a two-time gold medalist in the 1,500, downplayed the haze, saying he didn't think it would be a problem unless it got worse. "If people start coughing and sputtering all over the place, it will be an issue, but hopefully not," Hackett said.

EDIT

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/bal-olympics805,0,6786028.story

[enough]

1. Not an Olympics fan particularly, but I do know a lot of amateur athletes

from their thirties to their sixties, and I really have to wonder why athletes should be subjected to this. And then to turn it into an issue where they are criticized for trying to protect themselves. I guess it's some kind of allegory for our times.

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

2. The IOC should be ashamed of itself for chosing Beijing in the

first place.

What a damned joke and an absolute insult to all of the athletes.

[frog92969]

3. It is an insult, for many reasons

They should all go back home.
I heard a marathon runner talking about a practice there, 40+ started and 8 finished.
Somebody's gonna get hurt.

[kestrel91316]

4. I've already predicted that at least one athlete will die of the smog

DURING AN EVENT. Probably track, distance.

I hope I'm wrong.

[frog92969]

8. I completely expect that too

The Olympic runner interviewed on "The News Hour"(PBS) said he was having convulsions from lack of oxygen. And he saw two others bail out at the same point, one was vomiting.
Then they showed a doctor explaining how the pollution restricted the bronchioles.

It's disgusting that China was given these games, not just for the pollution.
China represents everything bu$h wants to do here.

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

5. If 32 out of 40 world class athletes couldn't finish a practice run

you are right,they should all go home before some serious damage is done.

That said,God help the people who have to live there.

(Gotta go,Sox are up 3-0.)

[Golden Raisin]

11. The IOC is a business.

Big business. Revenue comes first. The Product is all wrapped up in pretty tinsel for mass consumption on TV. So what if the host country has "issues", be it smog, or repression. True spirit of the Olympics means nothing to the IOC.

[Webster Green]

6. China should not have hosted an Olympics, based on the fact that it's a shit-hole..

China sucks! :thumbsdown:

[MercutioATC]

7. Hey! Let's give an Olympics to the "Democratic Republic of Congo"...

Machete throwing competition! Wheeeeee!


Fuck this letting third world countries host the Olympics.

[parkia00]

13. Oh yeah!

Lets just keep the Olympics to good developed countries. Screw everyone else cause they aren't allowed in our special prestige rich boys snooty club. Do you have a problem with South Africa hosting the World Club? Lots of poor people there too!

[MercutioATC]

14. I have a problem with a third world country that can't do a decent job of it hosting.

China is a toxic, underdeveloped mess.

They have no business hosting an Olympics.

[parkia00]

15. Not too sure about the undeveloped part

Pollution problems sure. Don't really know how it compares to Los Angeles haze on a hot afternoon though. They both look brown to me with no blue skies. As for development, sure there are many rural areas that one can consider undeveloped like in any country. But the urban areas are just as developed and urbanized as any other large country. Traffic, smog and congestion part of life in any metropolitan area. China is partly developed and quickly getting to the developed part.

[tinrobot]

9. Maybe it's a blessing in dusguise

Not that I want to see any athletes hurt, but now the entire planet gets to see in explicit detail the damage the Chinese industrialization is doing to the planet.

[Indenturedebtor]

12. Yes because it's the Chinese that are consuming all of these resources

And that want to be oppressed by their oligarchy so that they can produce more crap. :eyes:

[XemaSab]

10. Go check out China on Google maps

The fields and cities they have there make California look like a cabbage patch. :o