When China made its bid to play host to the 2008 Olympics, opposition mainly centered around the lack of human rights in the Communist-governed nation. Additionally, some athletes, particularly in the NBA, have protested China’s role as a key financial supporter of Sudan, in light of the genocide occurring in Sudan’s Darfur region.

In the track and field community, however, a non-political concern has surfaced recently – the quality of Beijing’s air.

In 2005, satellite data showed the world’s largest amount of nitrogen dioxide above Beijing and northeast China, according to the European Space Agency. High quantities of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant produced mainly by heavy industry and motor vehicles, can cause lung damage.

On March 10 of this year, Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie announced that he would not compete in the marathon in Beijing. Gebrselassie set a world marathon record last year with a time of 2:04:26.

"The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42 kilometers in my current condition,” said Gebrselassie, who suffers from asthma. Gebrselassie added that Beijing’s air pollution "would be a hazard to athletes, seriously affecting their performances.”

Belgian tennis player Justine Henin, the 2004 singles gold medalist and another asthma sufferer, has previously stated that she would not compete in Beijing due to the city’s pollution. Official Olympic committees are officially downplaying any problems with China’s air quality, while Chinese Olympic organizers state that steps will be taken to improve Beijing’s air prior to the Games, including limitations on automobile use. Clearly, however, future Olympic site selections must take air quality into account.

It’s unfortunate that a runner of Gebrselassie’s caliber must choose between protecting his health and competing in what is now his best event. He still hopes to compete in a much shorter Olympic race, however, stating that he will attempt to qualify for Ethiopia’s team in the 10,000 meters, an event Gebrselassie, 34, won in 2000 and 2004.