Olympic Masks [Edit]

The Beijing Olympics opening ceremony is only two days away, and by now most of the athletes have made their way to China. The American cycling team, however, made headlines upon their arrival.

When they arrived at the Beijing International Airport on Tuesday, members of the U.S. cycling wore black face masks. They didn’t do it as a PR stunt or to make any type of statement—they did it simply to protect the health of their lungs.

The black face covers are actually respiratory masks to help keep their lungs in prime condition for the upcoming events. Beijing is notorious for their smog, particularly in the summer, but the US cycling team was not ready to let poor air quality tampering with their cardio performance.