Beijing 2008 Hit By Growing Pollution Concerns

The Beijing 2008 Olympics has been hit by a major environmental storm after it
was revealed that some events could be postponed due to air pollution.

During celebrations to mark one year to go to the Beijing Olympics,
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge admitted that the city’s
air pollution levels were such that it could force the postponement of a number
of sports events.

He said: ‘It is an option. Sports with short durations would not be a
problem, but endurance sports like cycling are examples of competitions that
might be postponed or delayed.’

The Chinese government and BOCOG, the organising committee for the 2008
Games, have already spent billions of pounds on attempting to reduce the
pollution issue which is a result of Beijing’s long-term high traffic levels
problem.

However, the IOC remains unconvinced that the problem has been dealt with and
Rogge’s statement is the most public comment on the issue to date.

Outside of the environmental problems, the IOC said that BOCOG had laid
‘strong foundations’ for a successful Games.

It had been thought that China’s long-standing human rights problems would be
the major stumbling block to Beijing’s success but it now appears that the
pollution issue is fast becoming of greater concern.