Australian Athletes Will Miss Opening Ceremony
News June 20th, 2008
While many European heads of state plan to skip the Opening Ceremonies, Australia’s the only country who’s athletes will be missing the Opening Ceremony. Athletics Australia says it’s not a political statement, just concern that athletes’ performance will be damaged by Beijing’s air pollution.
Athletics Australia says its Olympians will not march in the opening ceremony at Beijing because of concern for athletes’ health and welfare.
It is usual for swimmers and cyclists to miss out on marching because they are competing the next day.
But Athletics Australia has pulled the entire Hong Kong-based squad from the opening ceremony even though athletics events are being staged in the Games’ second week.
Athletics Australia’s national performance manager, Max Binnington, says there are concerns that pollution in the host city will affect the competitors.
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At the very least isn’t this just a little unsporting - giving themselves a day of pollution-free rest before battle commences? I thought ozzies were reputed to be made of tougher stuff. What would happen if everyone else took it upon themselves to do the same? If it’s ok for one lot to do this it must be perfectly ok for everyone else to do the same. Perhaps they should, just to equalise the advantage.