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Rowers ill due to ‘sewer conditions’ at Rio Olympic venue

Thomas Bach echoed the sentiments of Rousseff saying “there is no doubt the world will see a great Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro”.

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US officials say there is no evidence abnormal levels of viruses or bacteria in the water caused rowers competing in Rio last weekend to fall ill.

The AP commissioned four rounds of testing in each of those three Olympic water venues, and also in the surf off Ipanema Beach, which is popular with tourists but where no events will be held.

U.S. rowers suffered stomach illnesses with reports of vomiting and diarrhea, according to The Associated Press, amid concerns about water quality at the open-water venues for the Olympics next year.

The pollution problem has been around for decades, and has sparked what top medical experts in Rio call an endemic public health crisis because of the dirty water in this otherwise stunningly gorgeous city circled by Atlantic rainforest and golden sand beaches.

“I don’t know if it was the water bottles in the boats, or hygiene precautions that some athletes are really good about and others weren’t”, she said.

Costa Rican triathlete Leonardo Chacon said he doesn’t do anything differently to protect his body before going into the water in Rio, but plans to take anti-parasitic pills after he leaves to make sure he doesn’t get sick.

“I definitely had (the disqualification) in the back of my mind since 2013”, Cordes said. Everything is in place for excellent Olympic competition next year and as it’s a pre-existing equestrian facility, all our athletes – human and equine – will be really well looked after.

Francia said the U.S. team had taken precautions about competing in the polluted lake beneath Rio’s picturesque Christ the Redeemer statue, “but maybe we were not as strict in enforcing them as we should have been from the beginning”.

“As soon as kids started [getting sick], we were bleaching oar handles, we were immediately washing hands after coming off the water”, said U.S. coach Susan Francia.

Other countries, including Britain, have already developed strategies for getting around this, although they are refusing to reveal details.

US Rowing, which oversees the game in america, stated it’s investigating what sickened the athletes, who vary in age from 16-19. None are likely to be Olympians next year. They will talk to the athletes, review protocols for cleanliness.

The only athlete who fell into the lagoon and consumed significant amounts of water was not one of those who fell ill, Merry added.

Smith stated the rowing, crusing, swimming, canoeing and triathlon federation might unite to check if the Rio state officers declined to.

Ledecky was the one U.S. staff member with extra medals than Cordes’ 4.

The AP evaluation of water started in March and was carried out by famous Brazilian virologist Fernando Spilki, coordinator of the environmental high quality program at Feevale College in southern Brazil. The samples have been checked for 3 kinds of human adenovirus, in addition to rotavirus, enterovirus and fecal coliforms.

It is the first independent comprehensive testing for both viruses and bacteria at the Olympic sites.

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In two separate emailed statements following the AP research, the World Well being Group affirmed it was advising the Worldwide Olympic Committee “to widen the scientific base of indicators to incorporate viruses”.

Cameron van der Burgh