LOL SMOKEY CHINEE

All my respect, however it is unfortunate that the AP didn't get a comment from a more articulate athlete.

I hope more athletes do this. Only the Chinese could pretend the smog isn't there.

You should be punished for protecting your lungs from air borne particles which are nearly 3 times the acceptable level set by the WHO. What the feck where you thinking when you did something as silly as to not pretend that bejing didn't have smog.

Welcome to Bejing, national asphyxiation championships 2008.

"It probably wasn’t the most opportune time for these athletes to wear these masks,” Quoted from the above mentioned article.

Let's see, the fog is so thick you can't see 100 feet in front of you... that sounds like it was probably the MOST opportune time to wear them.

They SHOULD apologize for wearing masks, just like the Tibetans who try to see the Dalai Lama should apologize for being shot by Chinese soldiers.

That poor guy had camera fright pretty badly.

There aren't many countries as hyper-sensitive to criticism as China is.

Why is this even an issue? It's my understanding that these types of masks are fairly common over there (and throughout much of Asia -- I know I saw a few people wearing them firsthand when I was in Japan).

1. There is no way they should have apologized for protecting themselves from a harsh environment.
2. The American's were not the only athletes to don dust masks. Did any other countries apologize or feel pressured to apologize?

screw em if they want to wear the damned masks let them wear the damned masks.

This isn't a video of cyclists apologizing.

I think this is extremely poor sportsmanship. It is a tournament that is supposed to promote togetherness and getting along- not "We're going to win at all costs" even if it means insulting the country you're visiting.

I'm no fan of china or air pollution, but wearing a mask is a big fuck you to them, and that is poor sportsmanship, IMO.

This is retarded. Chinese TOURISTS walk around North America with masks on just because it smells different.

Oh, and wearing a mask in one of the top 10 smog-ridden cities of the world isn't unsportsmanlike any more than refusing to share a cab with a smoker is. It's their health. Period.

Me, I would have shown up in a full bottled-air HAZMAT suit. THAT would be a big FUCK YOU.

Wow, thats really sad.
Why did they apologize???

Seems like everything that China doesnt like is apologized. I guess its better that way because China might not buy our products anymore if they are insulted in any possible and unlikely way..........

The funny thing is that the mask's they were wearing are allowed by the IOC. That means that the athletes are allowed to wear them during the games events that they are participating in if they so decide to.

Oh boo fucking hoo. Clean up the air, then we'll talk.

>> ^djsunkid:
I think this is extremely poor sportsmanship. It is a tournament that is supposed to promote togetherness and getting along- not "We're going to win at all costs" even if it means insulting the country you're visiting.

Hmm. Competition to promote unity. Does no one else see the irony?

If China isn't using the air pollution as an advantage, they would have held the events in places that didn't have such horrible air quality.