MELBOURNE, April 18: Australia is testing its athletes for asthma to minimise any impact of air pollution at the Beijing Games, the Australian Olympic Committee said Friday.

Members of Australia’s triathlon team visited Royal Melbourne Hospital on Friday to have the 20-minute test, which reproduces the lung stress of high-intensity exercise.

Australian Olympic team officials are also planning to screen athletes competing in outdoor endurance events, such as road cycling and long-distance running.

The International Olympic Committee last month indicated “some risk” for athletes competing in outdoor endurance events at the Beijing Games that required more than an hour of continuous physical effort at high level.

Examples are urban road cycling, mountain biking, marathon running, marathon swimming, triathlon and road walking.

Doctor Karen Holzer, who will be part of the team medical staff, said the Australian Olympic Committee had ramped up testing ahead of Beijing because of concerns about air quality. She said an attack of exercise-induced asthma could affect an athlete’s performance by “up to 30 per cent”.

“If they get a moderate increase in the asthma, it may mean [they have] to pull out of the event,” she said.

Attempts are being made to improve air quality for the Olympics with Beijing factory and construction shutdowns to take effect from July 20.

Beijing’s environmental protection bureau said this week the city was also planning to ban cars from the roads during the Games.—AFP