Jump to full article: Reuters, 2008-08-12
Author: Belinda Goldsmith
Intro: It's been declared a "smoke free Olympics" -- but tell that to the furtive puffers dragging on their cigarettes around Olympic venues.
In China there are over 350 million smokers, with one of every three cigarettes smoked in the world lit up in China, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
So it was a major task to get the world's heaviest smokers to stub out for the August 8-24 Games -- as well as the 500,000 overseas tourists in Beijing -- despite Chinese officials banning smoking in Olympic arenas.
"You do have to be a bit discreet," said a tourist from New Zealand, hiding his lit cigarette under a bench about a stone's throw from the Bird's Nest stadium.
"At the opening ceremony they cordoned off an area at the back of the stadium for smokers. It did last nearly five hours!"
Athletes too can be spotted smoking around venues.
"I'd say 70 out of 100 athletes in the Olympic village smoke," said Italian weightlifter Giorgio de Luca, perhaps exaggerating a little, as he wound down with a cigarette.
Jump to full article » |