The health of athletes and visitors coming to Beijing will not be at risk despite persistent concerns about the city's air quality, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday.

Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC's Medical Commission, told the 102th IOC session that data about Beijing's air quality is being assessed on an hourly basis around the clock.

"We used the World Health Organization standards for the evaluation... Those standards are fairly tough to meet, but in many aspects, the Beijing area does," said Ljungqvist.

"I am sure and confident that the air quality will not pose major problems to the athletes and to visitors coming to Beijing," he added.

With three days to go before the start of the Beijing Olympics, the organizers are facing intensive criticism from the international media which claimed Beijing's air pollution levels fail to meet the World Health Organization standards.

Ljungqvist said that the WHO representative in Beijing had expressed, during a private meeting three days ago, his "extreme dissatisfaction" with the exaggeration of the air pollution problem in media.

"The WHO standards have never intended for guiding people who are temporary visitors," said Ljungqvist.

"The standards are, and should be used, intended by the IOC to be guidelines for the authorities to protect the health of the residents of that area.

"They are for the permanent residents. Those standards have been established to (guard against) long-term risks," he added.

Beijing has invested billions of U.S. dollars to improve its environment since it was awarded the 2008 Games, and a number of drastic measures have been implemented to guarantee good air quality during the Aug. 8-24 event, including shutting down construction sites and reducing the operations of polluting industries in and around Beijing.

The IOC top medical official paid tributes to China for its efforts to combat pollution.

"They have done a lot. The matter has come under control. It will be to the benefit of local residents," said Ljungqvist.

"The Beijing Olympics will be a good example of what can be done with the Games in a city."

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)