God bless shoddy Chinese propaganda

Olympics: Pollution over Beijing? Don't worry, it's only mist, say officials

As Beijing's polluted air came close to exceeding levels even the Chinese consider dangerous yesterday, one of the International Olympic Committee's most senior figures dismissed the yellow-grey haze that periodically hangs over the city as mist, and blamed the media for overstating pollution problems.

Air quality in Beijing remains a big cause for concern three days before the start of the games. Members of the US athletics team arrived in the city wearing face masks yesterday and organisers are preparing to postpone or relocate endurance events including the marathon and road cycling if smog levels reach dangerous limits.

It's not pollution it's just mist. Yellow, hazy mist that smells of petrol and makes it harder to breathe. We usually call it smog. Media wags have dubbed the city "Greyjing". Or would if they were eager to get smacked up.

But bless their little red Chinese hearts for trying to lie. Though it does sound like something out of the Monty Python 'Dead Parrot' sketch. "It's not dead, it's resting." Beijing's air quality ranked as a 91 on the air pollution index yesterday, 100 is considered unsafe. This doesn't take into account that the Chinese monitoring stations in some of the most polluted areas of town, such as Tienanmen Square, have been turned off or removed, while new meters have been built miles outside the city in far off forests and rural areas. Even their rigged measuring barely makes the air breathable.

Things are so bad that US athletes are wearing masks designed and developed by the USOC to block out all the crap in the air. I mean for the mist, all the mist. I for one look forward to the 50 meters, stop and wheeze for a few minutes, then run another 50 meters competition.