Here’s an editorial written by the reputable site Angry Chinese Blogger, concerning several aspects of the upcoming Beijing Olympics that could prove to be serious embarrassments for the host country. One of these concerns the numerous teams already secretly making plans to train in other countries. Specifically in Japan.

Apparently, it has been confirmed that Beijing is too polluted, and its food too suspect, for “delicate” foreign athletes. Many of whom are making “alternative arrangements” for the duration of the games. More than this though, and this will REALLY get on Beijing’s nerves, the alternative arrangements of choice for many foreign athletes looks set to be China’s long time sparing partner and rival; neighboring Japan.

According to stories carried in the European and Japanese media, over a dozen of the world’s premier Olympic team, including this of those of America, Germany and Britain, have made arrangements to house and train their athletes in various locations around Japan. Allowing them to grow accustomed to the Asia summertime climates without the risk of exposing them to Beijing’s polluted air, or to digestive difficulties caused by food poisoning or simply from the problems often associated with consuming unfamiliar dishes. As such, athletes will train in Japan, then travel to Beijing for their events, before returning to Japan. Something which would be done on a daily basis so that athletes could avoid spending more time in Beijing that necessary, and as little time exerting themselves as possible so as to avoid breathing in the local air.

The piece also claims reports of local Japanese officials used a recent advance session of the G8 to lobby foreign officials to send their teams to Japan instead of China. Such “lobbying” is reported to include free airfare and living expenses.

Other potential embarrassments touched on in the article include expected photo ops of athletes training wearing smog masks.