It was quickly established that, while not especially pleasing aesthetically, the water posed no danger to the athletes competing.
Advertisement
That was in stark contrast to the pool’s light blue color the previous day and also that of the clear water in the second pool used for the water polo competition at Maria Lenk Aquatic Center.
Olympic spectators have been alarmed by the murky, green water in the diving pool in Rio de Janeiro, but the worldwide governing body for aquatics says the water doesn’t pose a safety concern.
Ontario company Sustainable Aquatic Systems helped install numerous Olympic pools in Rio de Janeiro, but a company spokeswoman said they were not involved with the pools in the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre.
“As a result the pH level of the water was outside the usual range, causing the discoloration”, FINA said.
Confusion reined as Rio spokesman Mario Andrada said he believed that a “proliferation of algae” had been to blame at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center, while worldwide diving chiefs claimed to be unaware what had created the problem. “As the sun went down it looked worse”.
Canadian diver Meaghan Benfeito, who won bronze, told Business Insider that the greenish color helped her.
The chemicals mentioned by officials are likely a reference to disinfectant, according to Ralph Riley, an expert from the London-based Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group. “If it has gone green and that is because there is not enough disinfectant there would be some kind of implied risk”. He said he expected the water to be back to normal soon.
Advertisement
The women’s 3-meter individual event is scheduled to begin in the afternoon. “But it didn’t smell and there was nothing left on our skin”.
