After four American track cyclists arrived at the airport in Beijing Tuesday wearing masks over their noses and mouths to protect themselves from pollution, they apologized for any offense that they might have caused the host nation China.
"We didn't realise the impact that wearing the masks would have," cyclist Bobby Lea said according to Reuters. "From our standpoint, it was to take care of a perceived health risk. In reality it came across as offensive. We don't want to insult BOCOG (Beijing Olympic Committee) or the Chinese public."
