China: Food Cited In Illnesses That Hit Track Team(U.S. team affected by local food and water?)

NYT ^ | 08/16/08 | GINA KOLATA and JASON STALLMAN

[TigerLikesRooster]

Food Cited In Illnesses That Hit Track Team

By GINA KOLATA and JASON STALLMAN

BEIJING — Several members of the United States track team became ill at the team’s pre-Olympic training center in Dalian, about 300 miles east of Beijing, and food poisoning was the likely cause, according to a coach for three Olympians.

“When we were in Dalian, a lot of guys got sick — five or six every day,” said John Cook, who coaches the runners Shalane Flanagan, Shannon Rowbury and Erin Donohue.

United States Olympic officials, who had acknowledged concerns about food issues in China leading up to the Games, had brought in a chef, Adam Sacks, from the Denver campus of Johnson & Wales University, to handle food preparations for the athletes training in Dalian. Sacks said about 15 percent of the approximately 150 athletes who trained in Dalian experienced some degree of illness, although he and team medical personnel could not determine the cause.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Quite a challgenge for athletes: smog, food, and then pouring rain.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[coconutt2000]

Note to self, “Bring own food and water to China.”

[wastedyears]

I’d bring a few asthma pumps.

And a whole lot of MREs.

And my own bottled water. I’d pay for the extra space/weight.

[max americana]

The audacity of the commies who had a hissy fit when they found out about our plans to bring in our own food and water.

This could be a ploy to minimize the medal count lead (We’re currently 48 and they’re 43.)

[BJungNan]

Most likely it was Western food they ate. I’ve seen it so many times. Someone says, I’ve got to get some American food. It is a different style of food handling than Chinese are used to. Boil it and you don’t get food poisoning. Can’t boil a hamburger.

[isom35]

they would have been safe eating at McDonalds.

[Vroomfondel]

Note to self, “Bring own food and water to China.”

They tried. The Chinese wouldn't let them.

[Manic_Episode]

Germ warfare, cheating commies.

[dalereed]

“they would have been safe eating at McDonalds.”

I’m supprised that everyone that has eaten at a McDonalds isn’t dead!

[coconutt2000]

They tried. The Chinese wouldn't let them.

Eheh, they should've argued that since China was a participant in the games, they should recuse themselves from making decisions involving the other teams.

[coconutt2000]

I’m supprised that everyone that has eaten at a McDonalds isn’t dead!

100% of McDonalds' customers die... eventually.

[mkjessup]

I’d bring a few asthma pumps.
And a whole lot of MREs.
And my own bottled water. I’d pay for the extra space/weight.

You recall that military joke about MREs don't you?

Meals
Rejected by
Ethiopians.

LOL

[Yaelle]

Very often international travel is plagued in the first week or so with stomach upset, sometimes severe. It could be poor hygiene or bacteria in the water (even for brushing the teeth or ice cubes), but in some cases it is just a “difference” in the bacteria and germs around from one country to the next. You can get this kind of turista even in clean countries in Europe or even on Hawaiian islands. And they can get it when they come to the states, too.

[Tamar1973]

When I was in Beijing I didn’t even brush my teeth with local water. Any water that went into my mouth was bottled or boiled first.

[VeniVidiVici]

That damn, undercooked dog will get you every time.

[TomGuy]

IIRC, some on the various swim team members early in the week experienced ‘stomach’ trouble.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Made in China Food Poisoned American Athletes PING!

[RU88]

Can't believe we didn’t bring our own provisions. If you want to sample the local fare, do it after your events.

[RU88]

Can remember being in Olongapo while in the Navy. They had street vendors selling meat on a stick that all of the old timers called “monkey meat.” Don't know exactly what it was but it sure did taste good!