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Aussies To Skip Beijing Ceremony


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Most of Australia's track and field athletes will skip the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on 8 August because of fears over poor air quality.

Athletics Australia says competitors will stay in a Hong Kong holding camp until a few days before their events.

Performance manager Max Binnington said: "Anything more than five or six days and athletes inevitably end up with some sort of respiratory problem.

"So many sports who don't have to be there early are choosing not to go in."

The athletics programme does not start until 15 August and Binnington added: "As many sports have said, China presents difficulties for athletes going in and being there for a period of time.

606: DEBATE

Your thoughts on Beijing pollution fears

"The outcome is that it's almost impossible to go for the opening ceremony."

One of Australia's strongest medal hopes in Beijing, two-time 400m hurdles world champion, Jana Rawlinson has opted to complete her preparations in Japan, along with the race walkers.

Australia's triathletes will also miss the opening ceremony because of health concerns.

The Australian Olympic Committee had said earlier that the decision to delay the arrival of some athletes was about logistics rather than health concerns.

"Most of the athletes have decided to come in later and not march," stated AOC spokesman Mike Tancred.

"Generally those competing on the first day or the second day don't march, standing up for eight hours a day or so before competition isn't a medically smart thing to do."

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lolol~this bunch of cundle babies just not ready yet.

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..or they're used to the environment. Or maybe, just maybe, we don't really hear about the levels of health problems amongst the population of Beijing. For all I know it could the same as any other city, but equally it could be much worse but hidden from view (lack of any figures in the public domain).

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There are also a few countries who say that it's good for the athletes if they arrive early in Beijing because they can feel before the Games how it will be during the Games.

I don't know what's the best way. I will see in August how bad the air is in Beijing.

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Talk about over-sensitive. It's rare that an entire team participates in the opening ceremony. Australia, for example, regularly in past games have asked its swimmers who are competing on the opening days of a games to sit the ceremony out to stay fresh for competition. Athletes who compete later in the program regularly only fly in at the last moment before they compete. It's called a professional approach to maximise chances of success.

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Talk about over-sensitive. It's rare that an entire team participates in the opening ceremony. Australia, for example, regularly in past games have asked its swimmers who are competing on the opening days of a games to sit the ceremony out to stay fresh for competition. Athletes who compete later in the program regularly only fly in at the last moment before they compete. It's called a professional approach to maximise chances of success.

The same is for the new zealand team. Many of the competitors do not march as either they have not arrived or they are competing early. Many of the officials march though!

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The same is for the new zealand team. Many of the competitors do not march as either they have not arrived or they are competing early. Many of the officials march though!

It's also with Dutch athletes. The athletes competing in the first days are not allowd to march in the opening ceremony. The other athletes have the choice.

I know 4 years ago the equesterian athletes were coming just before the equesterian competition started (the second week I believe for them) but they specially came to Greece for the opening ceremony and after that went back to the Netherlands. It's what the athletes think about the importance and the atmpsphere about the ceremony.

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I don't know about the Canadian team but I would assume its the same. This is going to be a very, very small march of athletes considering there is probably gonna be at least a 100 athletes missing from each of the big teams from Canada, Japan, Australia, Brazil, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Russia

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I don't know about the Canadian team but I would assume its the same. This is going to be a very, very small march of athletes considering there is probably gonna be at least a 100 athletes missing from each of the big teams from Canada, Japan, Australia, Brazil, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Russia

Well, if that is the case with most of the attending countries, then I agree with it, if its better for them to come only when they have to. With around 205 different NOCs in the ceremony, I welcome a shorter parade of nations, I mean, I like this moment, but to me, it kinda gets a bit drawn out, "that's after your own country makes it appearance". Anyways, hopefully this will allow the Aussies to win a lot more... :P and maintain top 4.

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Talk about over-sensitive. It's rare that an entire team participates in the opening ceremony. Australia, for example, regularly in past games have asked its swimmers who are competing on the opening days of a games to sit the ceremony out to stay fresh for competition. Athletes who compete later in the program regularly only fly in at the last moment before they compete. It's called a professional approach to maximise chances of success.

You mean for Australian athletes competing the days after the opening ceremonies which are usually in the evening local time?

I don't think what the Australians are doing here is in anyway a political gesture at all . It is not unusually of athletes of all nations to stay out of the opening ceremonies selectively for performance the next day. Sad if a team would be just flying in athletes to not be in country from the opening of the games even to a remote training camp which is the norm.

Jim jones

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I don't know about the Canadian team but I would assume its the same. This is going to be a very, very small march of athletes considering there is probably gonna be at least a 100 athletes missing from each of the big teams from Canada, Japan, Australia, Brazil, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Russia

I remember that in Athens, most of the track and field athletes didn't take part in the Opening Ceremony. They only arrived at the OV a few days ahead of their events. I had worked with Athletics Canada in the past and was surprised not to see them at the Olympic Village.

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Well, if that is the case with most of the attending countries, then I agree with it, if its better for them to come only when they have to. With around 205 different NOCs in the ceremony, I welcome a shorter parade of nations, I mean, I like this moment, but to me, it kinda gets a bit drawn out, "that's after your own country makes it appearance". Anyways, hopefully this will allow the Aussies to win a lot more... :P and maintain top 4.

This kind of ''gesture'' also leaves a add-on excuse if they're able to collect any medals after all, it's all because ''Oh gosh, it's the bad air did it, not me''

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This kind of ''gesture'' also leaves a add-on excuse if they're able to collect any medals after all, it's all because ''Oh gosh, it's the bad air did it, not me''

Hey Maryjane, well in all honesty, you can't blame any athlete for wanting to better their chances. Though I only think that the most effected will be the marathon runners, and field & track athletes, so I would say that the rest of the athletes won't be very convincing if they used your excuse. A lot of events are indoors anyways, and I'm guessing that the home team athletes will have some sort of advantage, being able to be acclimatised to their surroundings. Also, I was talking about a "shorter" Parade of nations in the Opening Ceremony, so what "gesture" are you reffering too?? (do you mean the fact that some athletes are coming in later, when they need to ??)...... but yeah, if most of the top countries choose to do this with their athletes, then the playing field will be leveled in that respect and will depend individually on the athletes themselves.... ;)

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Hey Maryjane, well in all honesty, you can't blame any athlete for wanting to better their chances. Though I only think that the most effected will be the marathon runners, and field & track athletes, so I would say that the rest of the athletes won't be very convincing if they used your excuse. A lot of events are indoors anyways, and I'm guessing that the home team athletes will have some sort of advantage, being able to be acclimatised to their surroundings. Also, I was talking about a "shorter" Parade of nations in the Opening Ceremony, so what "gesture" are you reffering too?? (do you mean the fact that some athletes are coming in later, when they need to ??)...... but yeah, if most of the top countries choose to do this with their athletes, then the playing field will be leveled in that respect and will depend individually on the athletes themselves.... ;)

I understand them for sure, just giving a light comedy. well, I hope they're able to achieve the best results as they can. After all of this 4-year waiting.

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Well, there's one particularly high profile Aussie who WILL be attending the opening ceremony. What was that about political snub?

SYDNEY, June 19, 2008 (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Thursday he had accepted an invitation from China to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on August 8.

``I will be in Beijing at the invitation of the Chinese government for the opening of the Games,'' he told a farewell ceremony for Australian Institute of Sport athletes who will be competing in the Olympics.

Rudd's announcement came against a background of calls by activist groups for world leaders to boycott the opening ceremony in protest at China's human rights record and its recent crackdown on dissent in Tibet.

The Mandarin-speaking former diplomat received a personal invitation to the games from Chinese President Hu Jintao at an Asia-Pacific conference in Sydney last year but had previously not confirmed his acceptance.

Asked whether he had considered not attending the ceremony, Rudd said he had to work out ``a few scheduling things''.

``But we have made it work and I'll be going to the opening ceremony and I'll be there for a few days after that and come back.

``I'm pretty relaxed about going. I think it's the right thing to do.''

The Australia Tibet Council support group criticised Rudd's decision, saying he should have waited until after the next round of talks between China and Tibetan representatives, expected within weeks

``The Prime Minister's decision to attend the Games, before China has taken any substantive steps to resolve the Tibet issue, sends the wrong message to the Chinese government,'' said spokesman Paul Bourke.

``It takes the pressure off China to enter into formal negotiations on the future of Tibet before the Olympics.''

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has refused to rule out the possibility of missing the opening ceremony, saying he was linking his attendance to the situation in Tibet.

The Australian Olympic Committee said it was delighted Rudd had accepted the invitation to attend the opening ceremony, adding that he would also attend the official team reception in Beijing on August 7.

``It is very important for our team on the eve of competition to have the prime minister present,'' said AOC president John Coates. ``We are delighted Mr Rudd will be with us in Beijing.''

Rudd told the athletes: ``I, like so many Australians, will be there with pride watching you, cheering you on and urging you to do your absolute best for Australia as I know you will.''

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Well......found some Chinese audiences respond to the Aussies's decision on the internet. (Comments no censored)

网易北京东城网友 ip:219.238.*.*: 2008-06-19 10:17:05 发表

澳大利亚垃圾!滚出中国!

Rubbish Aussies! Fuxk Off!

support (485) againest (140)

网易北京网友 ip:123.118.*.*: 2008-06-19 10:48:44 发表

没必要这么骂吧,澳的空气质量确实好

Don't be rude, in fact the air in Aus is better than Beijing for sure

support (240) againest (50)

网易重庆网友 ip:125.83.*.*: 2008-06-19 11:54:55 发表

没必要刻意去要求哪些人来啊。多来一个人,就要多打一个屁,多屙一坨屎,多撒一泡尿,就加大了咱们美丽城市的环境负担!

Why do we have to care about this bunch who just coming here craping, pissing, farting as making ''The Pollution'' worse....

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网易北京网友 [liujinliang6]: 2008-06-19 11:45:09 发表

北京的楼越建越多,路越扩越宽,汽车越来越多,马路噪音越来越吵,草地越来越少,怎么办?不要埋怨别人,想想怎么改进吧!加油吧,北京!

More and more construction works, highways, cars as producing more noises and less green sight here.....What to do? Then just trying hard

to improve it instead of complaining. Cheer up, Beijing

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网易山东昌邑网友 ip:124.134.*.*: 2008-06-19 10:55:34 发表

黄健翔:让他们滚蛋吧!

Go screw yourself!

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网易重庆合川网友 ip:219.152.*.*: 2008-06-19 13:15:53 发表

澳大利亚既然不愿来,咱也不强求。爱来不来

老子还嫌你人多爱是呢!自己脏的要死还嫌俺们给你洗不干净

滚回家吧!

If Aussies are not willing to come just don't come, who the fxck cares you bunch in favour of this or that.

We have more things to do here, there's no room and time for these ''hygiene perverts''.

Fxck off!

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网易广东广州网友 ip:124.40.*.*: 2008-06-19 15:17:01 发表

严重支持要大利亚..严重反对环境不好

Go Aussies, Go Anti-pollution.

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网易意大利网友(82.112.*.*) 的原贴:

我们生活在意大利,去年8月到过北京,我们亲身的感受是,北京的空气质量和意大利没什么区别,唯一感到不舒服的是8月北京的气候很闷热,但是夏天就是热,相信澳大利亚夏天也闷热,不闷热就不是夏天了

I am an Italian student in China, I've been to Beijing last August and all I can say there's no very much difference between the air in Beijing or Italy.

The only concern I've got might be the heat wave, but even though it's too hot I don't believe it's going to be any different in Aus

support (126) againest (70)

澳大利亚田径队很有名吗?

在2007世界田径锦标赛上,只有劳林森侥幸拿下女子400米栏金牌,另外迪克斯获得男子50公里竞走金牌,比中国田径队就多一块金牌而已,有什么好吊的。要是美国田径队不来,还能抖两下。澳大利亚,小国寡民,凑什么热闹,老实呆一边去

Are the Australian track runners very famous or what? Only two medals from Rawlinson and Deakes in Osaka 2007 as far as I can remeber, just one more

gold than China. Is that enough to be patronizing? Or if Team Usa takes over the stadium they might be kicked ass at the end of day.

Go back to your ''countryside'' to enjoy the summer, nobody cares what shits you are claiming

support (101) againest (24)

网易北京网友 ip:125.33.*.*: 2008-06-19 20:55:12 发表

首先我们的空气确实不好,要承认,其次,这种情况不是我们造成的吧?他们经济发展过了,把垃圾工业全搬到我们的国家,说白了是我们在替他们承受污染,他们腆着脸还指着我们,还嫌这嫌那,儿不嫌母丑,狗不嫌家贫,他们连这道理都不懂啊……

Yes~our air in fact is not so good, that's the truth. Secondly who causes all of this? The developed countries gone through the difficult stage as we are suffering now,

moving all the heavily polluted industries to China and another day complaining that we are not ''clean enough'' for just hosting a game. Welcome to bring such

ego to the olympics.

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网易宁夏银川网友 ip:221.199.*.*: 2008-06-19 16:42:13 发表

等着看澳大利亚人在他们的干净环境里活多大,最好别早死

I'll be happy to wait to see how long do these Aussies assholes' lives last in a ''clean air'', don't die too earlier.

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网易浙江杭州网友 ip:60.191.*.*: 2008-06-20 09:20:12 发表

参加开幕式才需要几个小时,而参加比赛要多少天?完全是无理取闹!!!

Opening Ceremony only lasts few hours, but there are more than few days for the contests. I don't see the air pollution would be

just improving for these Aussies overnight between these two schedules. So that's the ''excuse''? well~if so. Welcome to run in

Beijing with a mask or just riding a huge kangaroo in case the ''health problem''!!

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could it also be due to there pre games training camp being in Hong Kong its going to be near imposable to get the whole Athletics team to Beijing for the day/night without interrupting there training schedule?

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