Athens, Beijing's predecessor as host of the Summer Games, had similar pollution problems in the years before their Olympic year of 2004, as Verbruggen recalled.

"This was also a big discussion point about Athens," he added. "It was not easy, but they delivered."

"GREEN OLYMPICS"

Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG), said last week the 'Green Olympics, High-Tech Olympics and People's Olympics' slogan reflected how much stock BOCOG placed on the environment.

"Since 1998, Beijing has done a lot to improve the air quality in Beijing," he said, pointing out that official statistics showed there were 234 "clean air" days last year to just 100 back in 1998.

This year started badly, however, with 13 days of the worst measure of pollution by mid-April and frequent sand storms further depleting the air quality.

Failing a permanent solution to the problem, Beijing authorities may at least ensure the air is clean for the 16 days of the Games.

Jiang confirmed limiting car usage -- a measure adopted by Athens in the early 1980s -- was being discussed, while there has also been talk of seeding clouds to cause rain, factory closures and extended holidays for public employees in August 2008.

Ultimately though, as Verbruggen pointed out, should Beijing fail to meet the commitments they have made to the IOC on air pollution, there are unlikely to be any serious repurcussions.

"Even if they did not attain their targets, what can you do?" he asked. "Let's be open about this, we can't say tomorrow, we go somewhere else."