U.S. Olympic Cyclists Arrive in Beijing Wearing Face Masks

Many world athletes are arriving in China for the 2008 Olympic Games. However, when the American cyclist team arrived wearing face masks yesterday, this caused a strong reaction with many Chinese. On many BBS forums all over the Chinese language internet, many people quickly posted photographs of the cyclists and expressed their feelings.

On KDS: I think the Americans wearing face masks is fine, what is wrong with that?

Each person has different tolerances for air and what they are accustomed to. Honestly, I also think Beijing air is not good, and this is publicly known. What is wrong with others caring about their health?

Responses:

I cannot get used to those people who always criticize Americans, never looking at themselves and their own problems.

It is vagrants like you that worship foreign countries who spoil these foreigners!

Bad air? I have not seen Beijing people die immediately after birth!

The Olympics are in Beijing, whether you foreigners like it or not.

If you do not like the air, then just go home!

The two sides are about to start arguing again…

That was worshiping? You think you are patriotic? Afraid to admit your own shortcomings?
Do not be so narrow-minded, okay? You will be laughed at!

When your stomach hurts, but the only restroom is very smell, do you still go? At most, you might use your clothes to cover your nose. Would people still criticize you for this?

Grant Hackett’s lung is so bad but has not been seen wearing a facial mask. But this motherfucking cyclist needs one?

They do this intentionally, to embarrass Chinese people. I am surprised there are people willing to defend them and apparently be their lackey.

50 cents has already been deposited in your account, please check that you have received it.

There are a lot of foreigners in Beijing normally and I rarely see any wearing an air facial mask. They even live there long-term.

Coming to participate in the stupid Olympics when the air is this bad, honestly, would it not be better to just stay home?

Stop fighting, maybe they are sick but wear a facial mask so they can still come participate in the Beijing Olympics to give the host face.

Of course this is their own business. Forget wearing a mask over your mouth. even if you wear a bra over your mouth no one will bother you.

The point here is that this person or these people do not understand basic etiquette. If we are talking about basic manners, this is also one example of not having manners.

You go to someone’s home as a guest. If their indoor air is not good, at the worst, you just do not go.
You come and bring your own tableware, even wear a face mask, do you not think this is rude?
Are you not looking to be criticized?

Beijing’s air is not good, I admit.
But the Olympics are only a few days. It is not as if you are sweeping the streets.
Why can other people endure it, but you cannot?
You think you are more special than others?

“Lou zhu,”
You have friends and family come to your house, and they think your house is dirty, but everyday you clean, they do not drink the tea you serve considering the cup dirty. You let them sit but they do not sit. How would you feel? If this kind of thing happened to you, you will probably think they have a mental problem.
Accordingly, you posting this kind of topic gives me the same feeling, just like the foreigners wearing face masks.

American air is just average.
But those from New Zealand and similar places I think will not be able to breathe!

If I went, I would wear a face mask too. The air there really is not good.

Sigh…this Olympics has brought chaos to the entire country’s people．

Is this how a host country should be?
Can China’s education produce more logical, normal thinking people?

If you think it is dirty, you do not have to come, but since you have come, do not insult us Chinese. You dare wear face mask, then we can sell stars and stripes underwear and wear them on the outside like superheroes. Sorry, we cannot help it, the chairs are dirty. There must be mutual respect. If you do not respect us, why should I respect you!?
You say we pollute a lot, but the question is who motherfucking opened all those blood and tears factories?

Other people are only ordinary people. They do not understand these big principles. They only know they cannot breathe good air.

If you went to Africa, you too would wear a face mask…

Chinese air quality really is inferior to foreign countries. We should face the truth and not deceive ourselves and others.

Indeed, this is just like the democracy-loving Americans to protest Bush invading Iraq on one side and pouring Middle Eastern oil into their cars on the other side.

Go to South Africa and do not wear condoms. Otherwise you would be insulting South African people.

Everyone has the right to wear a face mask!

With Beijing’s air quality, did you actually believe foreigners should take a deep breath?

Actually, it does not matter if it is Beijing or Shanghai, air quality really is serious concern.
When I was small, I had allergies. Each time I was flying back to China, the moment I begin uncontrollably sneezing, I knew we had reached China airspace. It was very accurate.

Wearing face mask is not wrong. The air being bad is not wrong either. The wrong thing was knowing that the air is bad, that foreigners are fussy, and still choosing a place with bad air to be the host city.

To be honest, the color of this face mask is too ridiculous.

I am Chinese. Tomorrow, I am going to Beijing and I will also wear a face mask.

Maybe the Americans have watched too much Transformers.

Many Chinese posted about this news on Tianya also, such as this post: “Firmly oppose Western ‘anti-Chinese’ athletes wearing face masks when walking onto the field.

The Americans Olympic cyclists have already apologized:

BEIJING (Reuters) – Four U.S. cyclists who arrived in Beijing for the Games wearing masks to counter bad air have apologized to Olympic officials and the Chinese people.

Track cyclist Bobby Lea said the riders had sent a letter to Beijing Games organizers (BOCOG) to make sure they realized the masks were not meant to be any kind of statement or protest.

“We didn’t realize the impact that wearing the masks would have,” Lea told Reuters on Wednesday. “From our standpoint it was to take care of a perceived health risk.

“In reality it came across as offensive. We don’t want to insult BOCOG or the Chinese public. Had I known it was going to be perceived as an insult I wouldn’t have done it.”

What do you think?