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Beijing's smog forces champion out of Olympic race

PATRICK WHITE

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 10:32 AM EDT 14/03/08

World's fastest long-distance runner says he will not participate because of city's choking air pollution ...Read the full article

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  1. Knowledge is True Opinion from Canada writes: China should have never gotten the Olympics. This is ridiculous.
    Terrible polluters and human rights violators.
  2. Toronto G from York, Canada writes: Agreed. They didn't deserve the Olympics in the first place. Perhaps this will be a wake-up call to the Chinese government who don't seem to take the environment very seriously at all. Ditto human rights. What a joke. I hope more athletes back out.
  3. Blaque Jacque Shallaque from Canada writes: China is going through the same issues that the industrial world went through 200-300 years ago.

    Oh, you say this was hundreds of years ago, and does not apply now that humans are more advanced? Well, what about the "smog of London" in 1952. Due to.... of course... burning coal.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2545759.stm
  4. Proctor Gamble from Inherently Interested, Canada writes: This article is great. It points out what a ludicrous rip-off/farce the Olympics are.

    Choosing a country with pollution so bad the athletes won't (can't?) compete was stupid to begin with.

    The result will be a diminished games as many competitors will realize that the chance of 'winning' a meaningless corporate-sponsored-medal is not worth their health.

    Thank goodness Canada has avoided getting hornswoggled into holding a games for the forseeable future.
  5. sometimes serious from Canada writes: This reaffirms that China needs to clean up. If top athletes are willing to pull out of games because of air pollution that is saying something.
  6. Last Straw from Canada writes: easy to throw stones, isn't it? how much of the stuff we buy came from a chinese factory?

    we all need to work on cleaning up the environment. the canadian government isn't much better on the issue.

    you want smog? take a jog through hamilton on a hot summer's day... see how far you get.
  7. Bruuks Brew from Canada writes: Proctor Gamble - Check the schedule. We're next, 2010.
  8. roy f from van, Canada writes: A wise choice. Why degrade your lungs (and livliehood) for one event? I'm not sure why he still wants to run the 10k though. I wouldnt run for a bus in Beijing.
  9. Sue City from Canada writes: Wow. And, globally, China's status as a developing country means it does nothing about its excessive pollution/emissions.

    How could a "developing" country afford to host the Olympics, anyway?

    What a joke.
  10. Que Sommes-Nous from Canada writes: Anyone know where I can find one of those face masks? I might need it when I go jogging this summer. At least now, when I encounter a diesel-spewing truck or bus, I can cover my nose and mouth with my scarf!

    I admire the athlete who decided not to do the marathon. He's a role model in a way, following his convictions in the face of many pressures. Too bad he decided to do the short run, though. I guess he felt it was a reasonable compromise.

    When it comes time to deciding who should host the Olympics, you would think that air quality would be right up there, wouldn't you? I hope not too many athletes collapse from respiratory arrest. I'm sure China does recognize its pollution problems, and will try to tackle them in the years to come.
  11. Proctor Gamble from Inherently Interested, Canada writes: Bruuks Brew from Canada writes: Proctor Gamble - Check the schedule. We're next, 2010.

    =====================

    What? We're holding the Olypmic games in 2010???? Really?

    Must be the 'Winter Games' though, as 2010 is not a leap year.

    Which miserable city is being forced through that disaster?
  12. Johnn Baraka from Victoria, Canada writes: Hopefully many many others will follow suit.
  13. Johnn Baraka from Victoria, Canada writes: Sue City from Canada writes: How could a "developing" country afford to host the Olympics, anyway?
    ________________

    In case you missed it Sue, China's GDP is very good and highly competitive in today's world. They have lots of money.
  14. Puntal Puntal from Calgary, Canada writes: maybe it's a diplomatic way of backing out for the human rights violations aspect - I didn't see this in the Athens olympics, and that city is ostensibly just as bad for pollution.
  15. whatevah D from Canada writes: Proctor Gamble from Inherently Interested, Canada writes: This article is great. It points out what a ludicrous rip-off/farce the Olympics are.

    Choosing a country with pollution so bad the athletes won't (can't?) compete was stupid to begin with.

    The result will be a diminished games as many competitors will realize that the chance of 'winning' a meaningless corporate-sponsored-medal is not worth their health.

    Thank goodness Canada has avoided getting hornswoggled into holding a games for the forseeable future

    Um Vancouver 2010? Where you been?
  16. Proctor Gamble from Inherently Interested, Canada writes: Vancouver has Olympic games in 2010? Really? Huhn -- who knew.

    Must be the 'winter games' boondoggle though, since it's not a leap year. Those poor miserable bastiches! How did they get roped into that horrorshow?
  17. Toronto G from York, Canada writes: Blaque Jacque Shellaque writes:
    "Oh, you say this was hundreds of years ago, and does not apply now that humans are more advanced? Well, what about the "smog of London" in 1952. Due to.... of course... burning coal."

    Yeah.. um, 1952 was nearly sixty years ago. China doesn't care about it. They only care about money. Ditto the Cons here.
  18. Harbinger from Out West from Prince George, Canada writes: The runners could carry those little oxygen tanks like Jack Cousteau invented. Real tiny ones just for the race. If they all raced with those, everything would be equal. Then the drug folk at the Olympics would have to test the air in the tanks then, I guess.
  19. Broken Record from Victoria, B.C., Canada writes: Johnn Baraka, China is still considered a developing country by Canada and as such they are entitled to General Preferential Treatment on thousands of products they export to Canada. This means Chinese products are eligible for reduced duty rates compared to those from Europe, Japan, Australia etc. whose products are charges higher rates because they do not need any help with their development. Neither does China but it's been very, very lucrative for them to play poor and Ottawa wouldn't dare discriminate against poor, developing China.
  20. Meaning or Happiness from Toronto, Canada writes: I've lived in Toronto for 24 years (of my 27 year old life). I'm one of those guys you see sprinting on their racing bicycle on a 35 day with a smog warning. I feel okay, because I've grown up and live in it. I do get slight exercise-induced asthma but only basically if I bicycle in the winter. Sucking in cold air at -10 doesn't help you lungs, that's for sure. Perhaps it's related to pollution as well? Who knows. I commute to work for 40 minutes by walking... and sometimes I do sense like a slight irritation to eyes, and taste in my mouth, if walking along a busy traffic corrider.

    I remember a trip to Vancouver I took 2 years ago... I could actually taste the good air just simply stepping out of the airport! I was practically high breathing in that gorgeous air when I went up nearby Grouse Mountain (not a very high mountain at all).

    Larger cities would be a lot better off if there were less cars. People should walk and bicycle more. It feels good! Only reason not to is TIME... which everyone needs to make more of anyhow. YOU WORK TO MUCH. Cars bring you to work faster and make you work longer... think about it. If everyone walks, companies will be forced to allow for more transportation time. Let's make it 9-4 days, not 9-5. Come on, everyone all at once!
  21. James S from Canada writes: Last Straw, perhaps you are unaware that the world's oldest long-distance race (the 30K Around the Bay road race) takes place in Hamilton. It predates the Boston Marathon. It's also one of the hardest to train for, since the race usually takes place at the end of March, which means all of your training runs have to be done in the winter. The hill at the 26K mark is also quite challenging.

    As for the Beijing Olymics, I expect that the "Olympian in gas mask" photo will be the iconic image of 2008, if China ever allows the the photo to be taken...
  22. Paul, Bytown, from Canada writes: Athens, L.A., Mexico City, Atlanta, Seoul, even Turin had smog levels above Europe limits, yep these where all smog filled city's when they held the Olympics.

    This is just your everyday China bashing brought to you by the western world media.
  23. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: How likely that China will shut down it's Beijing factories and introduce other strict measures before and during the Olympics?
  24. F H from Canada writes: I'm sorry, WHY is a country that scorns its own people so much that it allows the very air they breath to poison them allowed to host the Olympics?
  25. g chan from Canada writes: When you see spittoon canisters at escalator landings like they used to have ashtrays at Eatons, people spitting on street ... it is bad!!! Not only that, you have to wear footwear inside your hotel room because you know phlegm has been dragged in. My advice to you if you intend to visit PRC, make certain you take disinfectants to spray on the floor. Also, in a land were potable water is scarce ... personal hygience is questionable. I would avoid ice cubes and uncooked food which may have been handled by fingers/hands. Oh yeah, take your own kleenex, toilet tissues, and wet wipes ... lots of them! Think of things gross ... it's there.
  26. Walter K from Victoria, B.C, Canada writes: Sometimes we in Canada can be unaware of what is happening in our own backyard. During the cruise ship season in Victoria, British Columbia, we can have some of the heaviest air pollution to compete with some of the worst places on this planet. The cruise ships that dock in Ogden Point just off downtown Victoria must run their massive engines the entire time in port in order to operate on board electrical systems. There is no facility built for them to plug into onshore power as in other port cities. The emissions are high in Sulphur content because of the bunker fuel oil being used. Prolonged long term exposure will cause irreversible damage to your respiratory system and irritate any existing conditions. Adding to the toxic mix is a helicopter port located in the same facility. They will idle their engines for up to twenty minutes spewing acrid exhaust into the area. Not good for those living here. The City of Victoria wants to expand walking and cycling trails along Dallas Road that runs adjacent to this port in order to promote healthy life style and recreation. We have marathons running by here and parades with families and young children. The city will not issue any concern about this because the cruise ships are expected to bring in $275 million in tourism dollars to the local economy. As always, the health and welfare of people will be secondary to the economics.
  27. Tommy Mark from Toronto, Canada writes: I have just come back from Beijing after having spent one month there. I found nothing there resembles that as described in most of the comments given here, including the original article in the G&M. Obviously most of the people who have made their comments here either have never been or have not recently been to Beijing. Most of the time the atmospheric environment there in no worst than I normally encountered in my visits to cities like London (UK) and L.A. (US). So, don't make a mountain out of a mold. If you want to bash China, look elsewhere!
  28. Johnn Baraka from Victoria, Canada writes: Paul, Bytown, from Canada writes: This is just your everyday China bashing brought to you by the western world media.
    _________________

    Naaahhh, it is not like many many people in China are not bashing their own country and politicians!
  29. Saul Rosenbluth from Winnipeg, Canada writes: F H from Canada writes: I'm sorry, WHY is a country that scorns its own people so much that it allows the very air they breath to poison them allowed to host the Olympics?

    ______________________________

    Because the Olympics are a scam.
  30. J S from Toronto, Canada writes: ""There's definitely a smog problem in Toronto," said Paul Poce, coach to many of Canada's top distance runners. "Some nights running along the lakeshore, you smell it and even taste it.""

    I would not say 'some nights', it's every night and day from spring until winter and some days and nights in the winter as well. Mr. Poce also failed to mention the greasy black crap that stains your towel or shirt from wiping the sweat off your face.
  31. jamie yavis from Canada writes: The old saying "people in glass houses should not throw stones" is particularly fitting for Canada.

    Here we are with a paltry, by comparison, population of 32M and many sit back in their judgemental chairs and point fingers at China's environmental problems.

    A little introspection, and looking at the route we are going Canada will surpass China's pollution problems hands down by the time we have half of their population.
  32. zen rainbow from here there everywhere, Canada writes: Chinese just don't seem to care about toxic pollution. A perfect example is cigarette smoking. The tobacco companies are owned by Chinese gov't. The gov't encourages its citizens to smoke utilizing it's own doctors proudly boasting of cigarette's health benefits. In China, teachers smoke in elementary schools, doctors smoke in hospitals, colleagues blow smoke into cubicles. This is utterly bizarre and repulsive. Chineseare only concerned about their yuan and not their own health. The chinese are delusional in their mindless capitalistic american-style race for material nirvana. It's sad and unfortunate that the chinese can't be examples to the world "How" to do things, but instead are masterful representatives of how "Not" to do it.
  33. Harvey H from Prairies, Canada writes: I spent 2 weeks in China in early September. Coal is the problem, no doubt. Beijing air is a serious challenge. It is the only place I have been where it tastes acidic. They will need to shut down the coal power plants in the city and anywhere near it.

    Hygiene is looked at differently in China, but I certainly did not encounter any problems in Beijing, it is a large modern city, and you can get whatever you want or need with no particular health risks. The Chinese just try so hard to get ahead. We in the west need to relax a bit, they are really just now setting up the QA systems that we have here and for the most part take totally for granted.
  34. Tanner Hadley from GTA, Canada writes: Boy, some of the intolerance in these posts is astounding...

    To briefly comment on the very first post (by Knowledge Is True Opinion), the United States of America is also a terrible polluter and human right violator...

    I don't we, in the western hemisphere should be pointing fingers - it seems to me to be hypocracy on a "spitzer" like scale.
  35. Carey C from Toronto, Canada writes: Thank you zen rainbow
  36. Nickstar One from Canada writes: "...who has exercise-induced asthma...".
    This is blatant nonsense. Exercise is not an "asthma trigger" and never has been. "Smog-induced" asthma, primarily from millions of tons of vehicular exhausts, is the more likely culprit. This guy has been training for and running marathons in areas that are smog cesspools for quite some time. This exposure, frequency, and time have accumulated and combined to take their toll on his lungs. It is no secret that jogging/marathon training, especially along waterfront areas during ever-increasing smog days, is the equivalent of continuous chain-smoking three to four packages of cigarettes a day. In spite of this, idiots you go apopletic over non-existent "clouds of blue smoke"(as per the propagandists of the SHS fraud), think nothing of getting into their ludicrous skin-tight outfits and gulping down massive amounts of vehicular/industrial particulate matter into their lungs. "Exercise-induced asthma", in a pig's ear!
    Being a former asthma sufferer, and sports active during this period, my asthma was never, ever, induced or "triggered" by exercise.
  37. James C from Shenzhen, Guangdong, China writes: "Nickstar One from Canada writes: "...who has exercise-induced asthma...". This is blatant nonsense. Exercise is not an "asthma trigger" and never has been." ----------- i'll take the word of the worlds top marathon runner over yours :-)
  38. Mike Sumners from Toronto, Canada writes: Perhaps this could all be solved if Beijing sold us some "carbon credits" or some such nonsense. (end sarcasm)
  39. Geoffrey May from Canada writes: The Beijing Olympics will be a perfect example of everything that's wrong with
    our modern world
  40. John Doucette from Manotick, Canada writes: Who is this Wuss????? Too much pollution!
    Who does he think he is? Does he not understand that the entire purpose of the Olympics is to make money for the corporations involved? Whats a few dead athletes? Get out there and run you nobody.
  41. Knowledge is True Opinion from Canada writes: Tanner, as bad as the States are (or even Canada can be)
    This is beyond what we can comprehend for environmental and human right violations.

    http://www.ban.org/photogallery/index.html
  42. whatevah D from Canada writes: J S from Toronto, Canada writes: ""There's definitely a smog problem in Toronto," said Paul Poce, coach to many of Canada's top distance runners. "Some nights running along the lakeshore, you smell it and even taste it.""

    I would not say 'some nights', it's every night and day from spring until winter and some days and nights in the winter as well. Mr. Poce also failed to mention the greasy black crap that stains your towel or shirt from wiping the sweat off your face.

    Really? I'm a Toronto runner (mainly in the Beaches) never experienced the greasy black crap you're talking about. As ofr the smell; some times it's a factor; other times not so much.
  43. Alberta Girl from Calgary, Canada writes: Awarding China the olympics just proves that the IOC has completely lost touch with what the Olympics stands for. It is an insult to the principles of the Olympics to have a 'place' such as China be host. I hope more athletes pull out for their health and safety as well as to protest the whoring out of the Olympic Games.

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