In spite of such efforts, several countries indicated that their athletes would arrive at the games as late as possible to limit exposure to pollution. Many teams set up offshore training camps in neighbouring countries to avoid the pollution. The pollution prompted several athletes to change events or opt out: for example, Ethiopian long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie withdrew from the marathon and ran the 10,000 meters instead, to reduce the risk of harm to himself because of his asthma, and Belgian tennis player Justine Henin announced nearly a year before the games that she would not compete for the same reasons.