A medical team from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been evaluating Beijing's air quality ahead of August's Olympic Games and has concluded that athletes competing in outdoor endurance events face "some risk".

The analysis relied on data supplied by the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau and was based on World Health Organisation standards. "The health of the vast majority of athletes competing in the 2008 Olympic Games will not be impaired," said Arne Ljungqvist, who chaired the IOC Medical Commission. However, there may be "some risk" for outdoor endurance events with a minimum of one hour continuous and intensive physical efforts such as urban road cycling, mountain bike, marathon, marathon swimming, triathlon and road walk.

In response to these findings, the IOC is putting in place procedures such as daily monitoring of air quality and weather conditions, as well as a decision-making process to postpone events if necessary. Said Arne Ljungqvist: "It may be that some events will not be conducted under optimal conditions – which is the reality of sports competitions – and that we may not see records broken in Beijing. However, the Games are more about competing in the Olympic spirit, than about breaking records. For a few sports where we do see a possible risk, we will monitor the situation daily during Games time, and take whatever decisions are needed at the time to ensure the athletes' health is protected. The IOC is confident that measures already put in place, plus those planned by Beijing organisers and city authorities, will continue to improve the city's air quality leading up to - and during - the Games."