Some of the Australian Olympic team will not attend the opening ceremony in Beijing

Although it is not unusual for Australian athletes competing in the first few days of the Games to skip the ceremony to save energy, Athletics Australia has ordered the entire team to stay away from Beijing for as long as possible because of worries over air quality.

The Athletics events do not start until the second week of competition but Max Binnington, Athletics Australia's national performance manager, told local radio in Sydney there were genuine concerns about air quality.

"We have had athletes come back from a recent test event and one athlete has got 10 days off training because of a respiratory problem," Binnington told ABC radio.

Concerns about Beijing's air pollution have been troubling the Australian Olympic Commitee (AOC) for the past few years.

John Coates, AOC president, announced last year that the Australians were also preparing a major immunisation programme to protect athletes from infectious diseases, including bird flu and respiratory problems associated with pollution.

No criticism intended

Around 1,000 prospective team members were offered vaccinations for hepatitis, typhoid, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and diphtheria, measles-mumps-rubella and influenza during a six-month immunisation period.

However Australian officials, fearing a diplomatic backlash, have defended their actions, saying pollution was only part of the reason they wanted their athletes to stay away from Beijing.

Binnington told the Sydney Morning Herald that it was not unusual for Australian athletes to skip the opening ceremony and the decision was in no way a boycott.

"Never was it intended to be a criticism of China, the Chinese government or the Beijing Olympic Committee," Binnington said.

"We think they will put on a wonderful show and they will do anything to minimise the inconvenience for athletes."

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