Synchronised swimming could be moved away from ‘swamp pool’ in latest debacle at Rio Olympics

THE Olympic ‘green pool’ debacle could plummet to greater depths of embarrassment with Rio organisers considering relocating the synchronised swimming to another pool due to health concerns.

THE Olympic ‘green pool’ debacle could plummet to an even greater depth of embarrassment with Rio 2016 organisers considering relocating the synchronised swimming competition to another pool due to health concerns.

Red-faced Olympic organisers have discussed the contingency plan in the wake of increasing anger and dismay from diving and water polo athletes and team officials, who have had training sessions cancelled from the Maria Lenk Aquatic centre and their recovery from competition impacted by stinging eyes and irritated skin.

And in a potential powder-keg, Mario Andrada, chief spokesman for the local organising committee, is expected to front both the media and team officials in Rio on Saturday morning to explain how — and if — cleaners can return the pool to it’s normal alkaline level.

A general view of the diving pool which has turned green

If not, News Corp has learned it’s almost certain the syncrohnised swimming event which begins on Sunday night (AEST), will be moved from away the aquatic centre, or the ‘swamp’ as it’s been rebadged by upset divers.

The Olympic Aquatic stadium — where the swimming heats and finals have been held over the first week of the games — would be the most obvious location for the synchronised swimming heats, which begin on Sunday night.

Diving pool is closed this morning. Hopefully that means we haven't been diving in anything too bad the last couple of days! 😷😷😷

— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) August 12, 2016

One of the major issues for the syncrohnised swimming competitors is the need to keep their eyes remained open under water during their complex routines.

It’s the fear that the eyes of competitors would be exposed to an adverse reaction to the increased amount of chemicals and chlorine which cleaners have dumped into the pool, in a bid to return it blue.

A host of water polo players, particularly from the US and Great Britain, who have competed in the increasingly cloudy pool have already complained of stinging eyes and inability to see anything clear under water.

A German diver also complained that the pool smelt like a ‘fart’ when he arrived at the venue.

Australian divers Ester Qin and Madison Keeney both spoke of ensuring they kept their eyes closed as they hit the green-coloured water during their preliminary rounds of the 3m springboard in Rio on Friday.

“My skin is a bit dry and a bit scaley but I try not to open my eyes because I don’t want to catch anything,’’ Keeney, who won bronze when the pool was blue last Monday.

“They wouldn’t let us dive in it or do anything in it if it wasn’t safe.

“We can’t do anything about it.

“We just have to make the best of a bad situation.

“Around the world there are pools with black tiles, white tiles and different colours. There’s green this time.’’

Despite the coloured water, both Qin and Keeney advanced to the semi-finals.

As of last night, there was no indication if the pool would be reopened for training purposes. Great Britan’s diving team were enraged by the decision to close their practice session despite organisers releasing a conflicting statement which read; ‘the quality of water has been checked and the diving pool offers healthy conditions for training and competition.’’

News Corp contacted the Australian synchronised swimming team for comment on the ‘green pool’ dilemma, but they were unwilling to comment.

Olympic action from day 7 of the Rio games

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Originally published as Synchronised swimming could be moved away from ‘swamp pool’ in latest debacle at Rio Olympics