By Kelyn Soong
Aug 10 – The diving pool in the 2016 Rio Olympics has suddenly gone green, raising concerns of the quality of water in Rio de Janeiro.
Something happened to the Olympics diving pool in Rio and on Tuesday, divers were competing in water that had turned from typical pool blue into a discomforting shade of green.
Great Britain’s Tom Daley, who (along with partner Daniel Goodfellow) won bronze in the men’s synchronized event on Monday, and others watching the women’s synchronized 10-meter final Tuesday posted photos on social media that show the diving pool, which is green and cloudy, next to the water polo pool, which appears blue and clear.
There have been no formal explanations yet about how and when the change in the water occurred, but the pool appeared normal during Monday’s competition. Outdoor pool water can turn green with the presence of algae, which indicates that there is not enough chlorine in the water.
Before the games began, Valerie Harwood, chair of the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida, issued a strong recommendation to Olympians and visitors alike in an interview with the Associated Press: “Don’t put your head under water.”
These Olympic divers don’t really have a choice.
The Washington Post
