WHETHER THE WEATHER IS OK...

BEIJING, CHINA: Much has been written and said about the weather and pollution conditions in Beijing during the lead up to the Games. The IOC has even indicated that they could delay or postpone certain events if conditions are not favourable. Now that the Games have started, what are the athletes saying? PAUL LEE REPORTS...

 

The Organising Committee and the Chinese Government have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in trying to rectify the problem. Factories and heavy industry in and around Beijing have been implementing more environmentally friendly processes and many have been relocated away from Beijing. During the Games period, cars are restricted to odd and even days of use depending on the date.

 

All this has had some positive impacts and compared to previous years the Beijing pollution levels have been significantly reduced. During the pre-Games period many of the journalist's questions to athletes revolved around the weather and pollution conditions that they will be experiencing. Here's what a couple of Aussies had to say:

 

"We suck it up and get on with it. The court is only 16m long so we don't have to look too far", Natalie Cook, Australian Beach Volleyballer.

 

"The smog actually helps us. I can see the orange discs better in the sky", Russell Mark, Australian Shooter with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

 

Having been in Beijing now for a couple of weeks, I think that the biggest challenge will be from the heat and humidity rather than the pollution. Like many cities throughout Asia, the humidity in Beijing can be quite oppressive.

 

Certainly some of the British competitors are feeling this. Olivia Whitlam, a rower from Great Britain says, "The humidity's quite fun, it's like rowing through a steam room!" The coach of the British gymnastics team at a press conference said, "We have fallen in love with air conditioning" when asked about how they are coping with the weather.

 

I think the attitude of the athletes is pretty universal regarding the weather. It's a part of the conditions that they are competing in and they have prepared according. The best prepared athletes will still win the events and I think talent, hard work, dedication in preparation, sports science support etc. will have more of a determining factor in deciding events than the weather. (Hopefully in some events we hope that drugs aren't a factor.)

 

The attitude of the athletes is summed up beautifully by Great Britain's Saskia Clark when asked about the conditions, "It's kind of, turn up at the Olympics and get on with it. If you are going to moan about the conditions then don't bother!"