13 U.S. Rowers Fall Ill Post-Rio Test Event, Possibly Due to Pollution

by Retta Race 17

August 10th, 2015 News

There is more negative news being reported surrounding the ongoing issue of water pollution at 2016 Rio Olympic Games venues.

We previously reported how grave concerns were being voiced even back in March of this year, as Rio’s Guanabara Bay specifically was visibly plagued by millions of dead fish, sewage and bacteria, despite Rio organizers having committed during their Games bid to reduce the pollution by 80 percent by January of this year.  The Washington Post later revealed the Brazilian government backed off that commitment, saying “efforts were being hampered by a lack of available boats to do the job” due to contract delays as well as delays in “dealing with the graver longer term issue of sewage build-up.”

Flash forward to earlier this month, when the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) began collecting data on water pollution after the Associated Press deemed all water venues for the Games were unsafe for swimming.  In their tests, the AP found that were “dangerously high levels of viruses and bacteria from human sewage in the Olympic and Paralympic venues.”  Despite this, Rio State Government officials have insisted that these issues in Guanabara Bay will cause no problems at the 2016 Olympics.

Reports are now coming out that the U.S. women’s rowing team has had several members fall ill since participating in a recent test event in Rio at Rodrigo de Freitas Lake.  Thirteen rowers have been stricken with various gastrointestinal symptoms at the World Junior Rowing Championships and the team doctor said it is her “personal feeling it is due to the lake.”

U.S. Rowing medical staff is not the only group to suspect a link between polluted waters in Rio and resulting athlete sickness.  Recently, Michael Phelps’ longtime coach Bob Bowman also expressed his concern in the water quality of open water swimming in Rio. Bowman described his personal connection to the issue stating,  “I happened to coach a young lady at the 2007 Pan Am Games there, and she came back and has been sick the rest of her life with a life-altering illness.”

Bowman was referring to 2007 Pan American Games 10k fourth place finisher Kalyn Keller, who was later diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, resulting in her early retirement in 2008.  Chip Peterson, who also swam in the men’s version of the race that same year has encountered ongoing health problems, including ulcerative colitis.  From these experiences alone, Bowman said, “So I know first-hand that it’s serious. They’ve got to do something about it.”

US Rowing said it is investigating the cause of the athletes’ sickness, including looking not only at pollution as the culprit, but also looking at water bottles used in the boats or hygiene precautions that some athletes undertook that others didn’t.

Head of World Rowing, Matt Smith, said he wants the IOC to ask Rio de Janeiro to perform viral testing in the remaining months leading up to the Olympics.  However, according to the Chicago Tribune, the Rio state environment agency does not have the equipment or the trained personnel to carry out viral testing of water.  “The agency confirmed it only does bacterial testing, since that is all Brazilian law, like that of most nations including the U.S., demands.”

As such, if Rio state officials decline to conduct testing, Smith said the rowing, sailing, swimming, canoeing and triathlon federations may unite to possibly finance their own testing of the venues.

 

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NAS
9 years ago

The government could have cleaned that up if they wanted to, but as corrupt as the Brazilian government is, what did people expect? It’s not a surprise Rio’s water are like that, AT ALL.

It was a mistake to choose Rio, not only because of the pollution, but Rio is a city that cannot hold such a big event. Transportation sucks big time, violence is one of the worst in the country and prices of everything are abusive. You will see next year. I just hope it won’t be a huge mess. The volunteers don’t even have a place to stay, they’ll have to pay for it.

There were talks about changing the location to Angra dos Reis,… Read more »

Jeff
9 years ago

Thank you SwimSwam (and Swimming World) for continuing to press this issue. It should be until the venue is changed. This is clearly a case where officials are either lying now, or have been lying all along. The EPA and related entities in the US continue to impose stricter and stricter water quality standards, all in the name of public health. Either that is true, or it is not.

Though I believe there is an argument that some of our standards have gone overboard (especially when ignoring naturally occuring levels versus man-made), I believe overall our standards are critical to public health. If that is true, then how on Earth can USOC and IOC members support any argument that pollution… Read more »

Oscar
9 years ago

Hilarious how you post these ramblings. Keep up the good work Loretta! Such high standards.

GinaRhinestone

August 10, 2015 at 9:42 pm

My advice is – do not have a Brazilian if you have entered these events . If you fall in , you need all the protection nature can muster.

Gina Rhinestone
Reply to  Oscar
9 years ago

I bet you $5 that guy in the pic has one . I have Brazil vacaying sailboarders in the family . From that board I could identify him but from the style of shorts – oh yeah .

Reply to  Oscar
9 years ago

What does Loretta have to do with Gina’s ramblings? Loretta posted an article. The SwimSwam crew can delete posts with inappropriate content, but the one you reference is hardly inappropriate… just a weird joke written by a weird commenter.

Coach #2
9 years ago

listening about this on NPR the other morning – scientists are saying that it is possible to get rid of some of the debris and bacteria in the water, but 100% impossible to remove the viruses by next summer

LG
9 years ago

run any open water events in another country

bobo gigi
9 years ago

Recent French TV report. Even if you don’t understand French, the pictures speak for themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeuPyZ3N5a4

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  bobo gigi
9 years ago

Unacceptable environmental pollution for such a Big event !!!

anonymus
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
9 years ago

Unacceptable environmental pollution generally.

SwimFanFinland
9 years ago

It won’t be fixed. I remember that officials said it’s not possible in the timeframe given to them so they gave up trying.

For example:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3008513/Rio-mayor-Olympics-wasted-chance-water-cleanup.html

I don’t know what are the plans for open water swimming at the moment.

GinaRhinestone
9 years ago

My advice is – do not have a Brazilian if you have entered these events . If you fall in , you need all the protection nature can muster.

Gina Rhinestone
Reply to  GinaRhinestone
9 years ago

Not a joke – plus custom orifice plugs . no waxing or shaving as this strips a layer of skin & exposes blood pathways through follicles. I learnt this from search & rescue .

I can definitely believe the link with Crohns .

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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