Athletes heading to Beijing this summer for the Olympics better work on their lung capacity - not for the events, but for the persistent air pollution plaguing the city.

The athletes who will be most affected by the smog will be those who rely on endurance, such as long-distance swimmers and runners, but everyone is susceptible. Come summer, athletes will be inhaling particulate matter and carbon monoxide, along with a whole host of other chemicals.

So what to do? How can athletes make sure their performance is minimally affected by the smog?

In a recent New York Times article, exercise physiologist Randy Wilber suggested that athletes train elsewhere and, when they arrive in Beijing, don face masks to help ward off the negative effects of pollution.

The mask idea is being met with obvious controversy. Some immediate thoughts: The masks could be awkward and restrictive, and they could prove offensive to the people of Beijing. (Wilber claims that Americans won't wear the masks during the competition, but each federation makes the rules for its own sport, so each team might have a different rule).

But athletes may have to risk offending a few people to avoid health problems caused by pollution (including asthma attacks, potential heart problems, upper respiratory infections, and nausea, just to name a few).

To help combat the problem, Beiing officials announced that it will decrease the amount of traffic by half in order to cut down on pollution. But will this have much of an effect? What do you think - should athletes wear masks to keep them healthy and prepared for competition? Or would it be offensive to the Chinese? Are there better ways to avoid pollution?