For the Chinese, for whom saving face is crucial, it would be a nightmare to have Olympians parade in front of television cameras wearing masks, or for there to be a raft of no-shows at the opening ceremony. So in an effort to clean its smog- and pollution-laden air, China has reportedly spent more than $16 billion in a spree that has included relocating factories, seeding clouds, retiring old vehicles, planting millions of trees and halting building construction amid concerns that athletes and visitors could suffer breathing problems.

Still, the U.S. Olympic Committee is not impressed by China’s campaign, and for the last two years has been secretly developing high-tech face masks that the committee plans to hand out to more than 600 athletes, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.

Many believe that if the athletes decide to wear masks, they risk insulting the hosts.

"When you’re walking around with a mask on, you’re basically saying, ‘You guys stink,’" performance director of the U.S. triathlon team Scott Schnitzspahn told the Journal.

Now, with just three weeks until the Olympic Games begin, Beijing is enforcing a strict traffic rule as a final attempt to keep athletes from having to wear masks. From July 20 to September 20, owners of 3.3 million private cars can drive only on alternate days — determined by the last digit of their license plates — in China’s capital. If the last number on the license plate is even, today you can legally drive — and tomorrow is the turn of the odds.

Drivers not obeying the rules will be caught by spying cameras and smart devices and fined $14, a significant amount for most Chinese, reported the Los Angeles Times today.

Already one U.S. Olympic track team runner, Kara Goucher, told the Journal that she will likely wear a mask between events.

She added that the Chinese government is not alone in facing embarrassment; Goucher said she is prepared to get stares from people wondering why she’s wearing it.

And Goucher’s answer will likely be something like this: "No, I’m not sick. I’m just an Olympian."