After the pool used for diving turned green, a second pool, used for water polo, changed color Wednesday.
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Rio Olympic diving pool turned a bright shade of green on Tuesday, and the reason was at first shrouded in mystery.
Tony Azvedo said he could hardly open his eyes for the last quarter of America’s match with France as organisers rushed to turn the water back to blue.
Simon Langford, chief spokesman for the Maria Lenk, said the pool was closed to allow additional cleaning.
Langford said the decision to cancel practice was supported by FINA, the sport’s world governing body.
On Friday, Rio officials reportedly closed the pool following complaints that the entire facility “smelled like a fart”.
“As a result the pH level of the water was outside the usual range, causing the discoloration”, FINA said.
Most divers said the color was no issue, even though the pool’s water was perfectly blue during the men’s 10-meter platform event on Monday.
“We don’t think it is risky or we wouldn’t have our athletes in the water”. “But we came here with a mind-set of ‘expect the unexpected.’ If the water was going to be orange, blue, green – it didn’t matter”. “We reduced immediately the quantity (of chlorine)”. “We certainly could have done better in the beginning to prevent the water from turning green”.
Rio communications director Mario Andrada said the problem with the water’s colour had gone on longer than expected.
“We have learnt that chemistry is not an exact science”. You throw in too much chlorine, all of the sudden you can’t see.
“When we went to fix the green, there was a discussion about the best chemicals”.
U.S. men’s water-polo team captain Tony Azvedo told the Washington Post: “I could barely open my eyes for the final quarter (in his team’s match against France)”.
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Another user began a Twitter poll, in which he indicated that the water could have been purposely made green to honor the Brazilian flag.
