29 Jul 2008

Australian athletes free to withdraw over pollution

6:00 am on 29 July 2008

Australian athletes will be allowed to withdraw from their events at the Beijing Olympic Games if pollution poses a threat to their health and safety.

The Australian Olympic Committee vice president Peter Montgomery says athletes have the freedom to pull out of events if pollution levels remain high.

But Montgomery doubted whether anyone would withdraw as most of the athletes have been training for 10 years just to get to the Olympics.

The Beijing Games open on August 8th.