There have been a few warnings to the athletes on the Rio waterways but the latest study from The Associated Press says the waters are contaminated with sewage that have risky viruses and bacteria.
Advertisement
Tests also showed that even the tourists could also face potential risks of becoming seriously ill because of the water problem, which affects the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema.
The waters off Rio de Janeiro will be safe for Olympic open-water swimmers, sailors and rowers, the Rio organising committee insists, after new tests showed reduced levels of pollution. The other location causing concern is the Gloria Marina that is the point too starts for the races for sailing.
Dr. Valerie Harwood, a water quality expert at the University of South Florida, says the 300,000 to 500,000 tourists expected to descend on Rio for the Games should be very careful.
Medical experts have advised athletes to keep their mouths shut and their heads above water while competing. The local organizing committee did not respond to multiple requests for comment, though it has previously said bacterial testing conducted by Rio state authorities has shown the aquatic venues to be within state guidelines. Doctors linked the infection to his participation in practice events on Guanabara Bay.
Researchers have found that numerous beaches in Rio de Janeiro have been long contaminated with raw sewage, household garbage, and even dead bodies.
The Rio Olympics are kicking off on August 5th, but Rio de Janeiro’s waterways show alarming levels of pollution that could be risky for athletes and tourists alike.
This piece of Rio Olympics news comes in spite of the country’s promise to clean up before the Olympics begin.
“At this point in time, we ain’t going to change the water quality in the next week so they’ll just get in and do their best”, Chiller told reporters.
Asked if Olympic athletes should express their political views, 52 percent of those from racial minorities answered no, with about a third taking the opposite view. Samples from the beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema revealed high levels of viruses, which recent studies have suggested can pose a health risk – particularly to babies and small children.
Sampling at the Lagoon in March 2015 revealed an astounding 1.73 billion adenoviruses per litre. For decades, raw sewage has been pumped into Rio’s water, including the site of several Olympic events, Guanabara Bay.
Advertisement
“We’ve been eight times to Rio”, said Briana Provancha, who will compete for the U.S.in the 470 sailing event.
