BEIJING — The first “airpocalypse” of fall hit Beijing this week, but residents are not the only ones dealing with the smog blanketing the Chinese capital. World-class cyclists and soccer stars from Argentina and Brazil, as well as American pop diva Mariah Carey, are also contending with the choking air.
Beijing’s air quality index has stayed above 300, categorized as “hazardous” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, since Wednesday. The local government raised its air pollution alert to orange, the second-highest level, suspending sports classes at schools and advising people of all ages to avoid outdoor activities.
The high pollution levels arrived just in time for the five-day Tour of Beijing. Organizers did not cancel the cycling event, which started in the nearby city of Chongli. The world’s top professional cyclists, including Alejandro Valverde of Spain, who finished fourth in the Tour de France this year, kicked off the event Friday morning. The race ends with a 73-mile ride through the heart of Beijing on Tuesday.
Carey, meanwhile, was set to perform outdoors in Beijing’s Workers Stadium on Friday evening, and international soccer stars, including Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Neymar, were scheduled to attend. Messi and Neymar arrived in the city this week with their national teams to prepare for a highly anticipated game Saturday evening.
Weather forecasters have said rain and wind should arrive Saturday night, blowing some of the smog out of Beijing.
Still, Chinese soccer fans have started to worry that their favorite players will not give their full effort because of the air quality.
“No matter how much money they make, it might not be enough for their medical bills afterward,” one commentator wrote after a story in Chinese media about Thursday’s practice.
The Argentine national team’s new manager, Gerardo Martino, who took over the team after this year’s World Cup, downplayed the air quality’s role in a match between the greatest rivals in international soccer.
“Argentina against Brazil is the most important derby between national teams,” he told reporters Thursday. “It doesn’t matter where the match is held; it’s always important for the history between us and now also for the players.”
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