Australian Athletes Free to Withdraw Over Pollution
Date: 29-Jul-08
Country: AUSTRALIA
AOC vice president Peter Montgomery said athletes had the freedom to pull out of events if pollution levels remained high but doubted whether anyone would withdraw from their events.
"For us the athlete's attitude to the event is paramount," he told reporters.
"If they don't want to compete that is fine. They will be under absolutely no pressure to compete if they feel uneasy or don't want to compete -- we won't be demanding that they still compete.
"It will be extremely unlikely that an athlete won't want to compete. Most of the athletes have been training for 10 years for this moment."
The Beijing Games open on Aug. 8
(Reporting by Andrew Stevens; Editing by John O'Brien)
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