I don't get it. How did Beijing get the 2008 Summer Olympics?
Joe Torre was just quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying you can cut the pollution in that city with a knife. Apparently the party leaders have shut down most of the factories, but the cars are still spewing. Plus they continue building hotels for the tourists and housing for the athletes. So instead of improving air quality, it's actually getting worse.
Recently there's been a great deal of concern about when and where to run long events like the marathon and cycling. Because taking a breath of air is like sucking a sewer pipe.
But why is it suddenly a problem now? Why wasn't it a problem back when the Olympic committee was touring the world looking for venues. Didn't anybody wonder why the sky was yellow? And you could chew the air?
China has been polluted forever. This isn't new news. Was the Olympic committee holding its breath when they toured the city ten years ago? Or were the Chinese holding out their wallets?
What the frigging fluck is going on?
FROM BBC SPORT online:
"Beijing's filthy air and clogged traffic are known to have
worried Beijing organizers and the IOC for some time. . ."
My feeling is go ahead and have the opening ceremonies in Beijing. Then move all the athletic events to Japan. Nobody will notice the difference.
Except for the dogs.
4 comments:
IF THE I.O.C. CAN STAGE THE GAMES IN NAZI GERMANY IN 1936, A POLLUTED BEIJING ISN'T THAT MUCH OF A SRETCH. MAYBE THE STEROIDS AND BLOOD-DOPING WILL COMPENSATE FOR THE NOXIOUS AIR.
I watch CBC alot
they've been showing
those Beijing commerials
for a long time now
ugh!
I hear the Lithuanians are a shoe-in for Gold in the "Beat the Monk" marathon.
If there is such a thing as Karma, the country will self-immolate two weeks before the opening ceremonies. They don't have far to go...
Woof!
What's for dinner?
xoxo
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