On the Scene -- Australians Hope for Best Olympics Ever in China

(ATR) Leaders of the Australian team for the Beijing Olympics say that air pollution should not be an issue for athletes. Pedestrian safety in the Olympic Village may be a more pressing early concern they say.

Speaking at the first in a series of daily press conferences for Australian media, Australian Olympic Committee secretary general Craig Phillips says the speed at which buses and security vehicles move about the village has been one of the first issues raised in the daily meetings of the chefs de mission held in the village.

"They’ve now slowed them down, 15 kilometers an hour is now the speed limit," says Phillips, adding that Australian athletes are being reminded about pedestrian safety while in Beijing.

The bulk of the 433 member Australian team is still days away from arriving in China, weeks away for the track and field athletes who will come just before their events in the final week of the Games.

Phillips knocked back worries over air pollution in Beijing.

"We knew air quality was going to be challenging," he said.

"We know they’ve taken lots of measures leading up to the Games. I’m sure it’s had some effect. Whether it’s going to have enough effect, we’ll see," said Phillips.

"What we’ve done as an Olympic committee and what our sports have done collectively leading up to these Games has put our athletes in very good shape I think," he said.

Phillips says athletes from Australia can arrive as late as possible in Beijing, employing what he called "a home town advantage". While they might have to endure a long flight north from Australia to China, the time difference is only two hours, meaning jet lag will not be an issue.

"I think we’ve prepared just about as well as we can," says deputy chef de mission Peter Montgomery.

While he says Australian athletes always have the option not to compete due to worries about air quality, he does not expect any of them to duck out of the Games.

"If they don’t want to compete, fine. They will be absolutely under no pressure to compete, if they feel uneasy and don’t want to compete," he said.

"Most of the athletes have been training for 10 years for this moment, so it’s highly unlikely that anyone will [not compete]," says Montgomery.

Montgomery, a vice president of the Australian Olympic Committee and an Olympian in water polo at four consecutive Games from 1972, says it is the hope of his colleagues that Beijing delivers Games that are better than Sydney in 2000.

"We certainly haven’t been critical with any attempt to in any way damage our fond hopes that China is able to put on the best Olympic Games that’s ever been," he said.

Written by Ed Hula