America Deploying Secret Pollution-Fighting Masks For Olympic Athletes to Wear

Clay TravisClay Travis|published: Mon 21st July, 13:45 2008

First the Chinese try and ban blacks and Mongolians from the bar, and now America has special masks to ward off the Beijing pollution? This Olympics is going to be great. Thankfully the Wall Street Journal is there to bring us the story of the masks. Or as much as they actually can because the masks are " top secret." Seriously. What's more there is competition with other countries for the perfect secret masks.

Per the WSJ:

At the moment, there is no stated policy on mask-wearing at the opening ceremony or during competition. Olympic officials believe it's up to the international federation of each sport to determine whether to allow masks during events.


The British Olympic Association has developed a mask that could actually be worn during competition, unlike the U.S. mask. Respro Ltd., a self-described maker of "urban survival equipment" in London, says it has supplied the British team with a device called the Sportsta. It is made of neoprene and features state-of-the-art valves.

Remember the debate about whether George W. Bush should attend the opening ceremonies? Maybe he should go in a mask. Other countries would be happier and he'd actually make liberal environmentalists happy too. See, everybody wins.

Olympic athletes wearing masks could cause China to lose face [Wall Street Journal]

US athletes given secret Beijing pollution masks [SportsbyBrooks]

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