GettyDespite all the incredible action going on at the Olympics in the past eight days, a question has still been playing in the back of our minds.
Why are their swimming pools so damn green?
APWe thought we had the answer a few days back, when an Australian pool service franchise owner said it was probably down to a lack of sanitation. Eww.
However, the plot thickened when Stephan Feck, who was scheduled to compete in the men’s three metre springboard on Monday, said that the pool smelt like farts. Even more eww.
The moment you want to do some workout and the pool is closed? the whole venue smells like somebody has fart #goodmorning #failed #tollermensch
Posted by Stephan Feck on Friday, 12 August 2016
But organisers have now finally revealed the true cause, there was an unauthorised dump of 80 litres of hydrogen peroxide which they’ve dubbed as ’embarrassing’. Too fucking right it is.
Despite sounding dangerous on paper, organisers confirmed that the water was still in fact safe to enter. However, water polo players have since reported to be suffering from itchy eyes, The Independent reports.
GettyApparently the addition of hydrogen peroxide neutralised the chlorine in the pools and meant that algae was able to bloom. Not only does this explain the murky green colour, it also makes sense why there was a fart-like smell wafting around the aquatics centre.
Speaking to reporters in Brazil, Gustavo Nascimento, Rio 2016’s director of venue management, said: “This is a way of cleaning swimming pools but you’re not supposed to combine it with chlorine. We were not consulted, our contractor’s failure is our failure.
GettyA spokesman for the game labelled it as an ’embarrassment’, but refused to comment on which contractor was responsible for the chemical dump.
“Of course it’s an embarrassment. This was probably the only issue that we were unable to solve quickly,” Mario Andrada said.
GettyOrganisers have only decided to drain the water polo pool, as a synchronised swimming event is due to begin later today, but the diving pool will remain as it is as they continue to treat the water in hope that it will return to normal later next week.
Nascimento added that the participation of over 120 athletes in the diving pool had added to the ‘organics’ in the water that were responsible for the colour change. Grim.
APAt least this mystery has finally been well and truly solved.
