Kenya's 800 metres world record holder David Rudisha is urging the planet to combat air pollution, saying athletes need clean air to keep smashing boundaries at showpiece events like the Olympics. Breathing in huge lungfuls of air, athletes feel the sharp end of air pollution. Taming dirty air at the world's landmark sports events will bring wider knock-on benefits in host cities, Rudisha told AFP in an interview. Rudisha, the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic champion, is at the World Health Organization's annual assembly in Geneva this week to urge countries to capitalise on the benefits of clean air for sport. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES