High temperatures and easterly winds that are forecast to persist until Friday look likely to create a “perfect storm” of smog pollution that could affect the performance of athletes at the start of the Olympics, experts warned on Wednesday.
Health experts have warned that summer smog could cause problems such as the inflammation of airways and breathing problems for London 2012 competitors, especially those in endurance events.
“Athletes are thought to be especially vulnerable to the effects of ground level ozone and other air pollutants because they are breathing in very high volumes of air,” said Gary Fuller, an air quality expert at King’s College London. “It’s something that might affect their performance on the day.”