Water worries not a load of …
Some say media spewing as much garbage as Rio pipes
RIO DE JANEIRO— Wholly crap.
That would be the effluent-choked waters of Guanabara Bay, where 300 tons of rubbish — used condoms, discarded syringes, mangled pieces of furniture, old fishing nets, plastic bags, a veritable mishmash of refuse — are dumped every month, raw sewage spewing straight out of gaping pipes.
Animal carcasses and the occasional human corpse have been pulled out of the inlet as well.
From a distance, Guanabara, presided over by the sheer granite outcropping of Sugarloaf Mountain, appears gorgeous, sun dappling the gentle waves. It’s a breathtaking backdrop. Except, up close, submerged in all that dreck, the water is poisonous.
In their infinite wisdom, however, Rio Olympics planners chose Marina da Gloria — just seven miles from the favela slum along Guanabara Bay — as the Games venue for sailing and windsurfing events.
It will look stunning for the TV cameras. It will probably sicken Games participants.
Those athletes have been warned not to open their mouths, less they ingest a glob of microbes and pathogens.
Open-water swimming competitions — marathon and triathlon — take place at the marginally less contaminated mouth of the bay at Copacabana Beach. Various health experts who’ve been interviewed by international media have warned against all of it. One local doctor claimed athletes will “literally be swimming in human crap.’’ And a water-borne virus expert from the University of Texas said “the chance of infection is very likely,” even at Copacabana.
Last August, German sailor Erik Heil had to undergo surgery after picking up a flesh-eating virus during a test regatta. And a five-month analysis by The Associated Press of each venue where athletes will have contact with water showed dangerously high levels of viruses and bacteria.
Stop worrying about it, responded the International Olympic Committee. Just trust us: All is well. On Wednesday, Dr. Bob McCormack, chief medical officer for Team Canada, doubled down on that assurance.
“In actual fact, our athletes are not concerned. Our open water swimmers say it’s not an issue from their perspective. And looking at the water quality reports, which we continue to monitor closely, it’s as good as the water in Canada.”
Which is saying, as good as the routinely no-dipping water in Vancouver’s False Creek or English Bay. “If I went swimming in False Creek or English Bay, I would have the same potential risk of getting sick. But the risks are low and in actual fact the water (here) meets recognized international standards.’’ McCormack — Dr. Bob as the longtime Olympics medico is known — insists neither he nor the athletes are distressed by the calamity bulletins associated with Rio waters. In fact, he’s swum in Copacabana Beach and suffered no ill effects. Neither, the doctor noted, did any of the athletes who participated in test events over the past year. They came armed with prophylactics and other preventive medications.
“The Brazilians have been very open with us in sharing their water quality data. They have multiple testing stations at all of the water venues. They’re now reporting daily.”
That information, monitored by the World Health Organization, is shared with athletes, officials, and national Olympic committees. “It’s a co-ordinated, multi-discipline (effort) to make sue that the athletes are safe, because that’s the top priority.”
But does McCormack trust the Brazilian authorities? “I do. One of the things that’s helped is, in our multiple visits down here, we’ve developed a relationship with the Brazilians and our partners at the IOC. They all have the same goal. I actually do have confidence in their readings.”
So, just negative-obsessed media overhyping the alleged health risks, doc? “I would say yes, it sure has.” At least one athlete, U.S. rower Megan Kalmoe, has admonished media for making too big and endless a deal out of the dirty, smelly water.
Last week, she wrote on her blog: “My request to everyone who is fixated on (expletive) in the water: Stop. Stop trying to ruin the Olympics for us. At this point, it is known that there are issues with the water quality. It is known that athletes are going to be at risk for illness. It is known that we are going to have to be smart, hygienic and take precautions. Great. Let’s move on.”
The Brazilians have used eco-boats — catamarans — balloons and barriers to gather up trash flowing into Guanabara and officials maintain only the cleanest sections of the bay will be used for windsurfing and sailing. But these Games, like just about every Games that preceded them, have been typified by false promises and untrustworthy proclamations.
Government and Games officials have admitted their efforts to clear garbage and sewage have been insufficient, certainly not up to the level vowed in their successful Games bid. Clean waterways and proper sewage treatment was to have been a key legacy of these Games for the 12 million citizens of Rio. Yet it’s now conceded that only 48 per cent of the raw sewage is being treated.
Aquatic sites remain contaminated. American athletes will try to reduce their chances of becoming ill by wearing specially protective un-suits. John Atkinson, team leader of the Canadian aqua squad — which includes two marathoners and five triathletes — said those swimmers will use FIFA-regulated suits that go down to the ankles and zip up to the throat.
“Obviously we do have some concerns. But they were lessened after I came down here for the test event last year. We raced at Copacabana, we did the Olympic course. Our athletes didn’t have any adverse effects after that. Nobody did from any of the other nations either.
“Sometimes when you don’t have information and you hear the stories, you get concerned. Coming down and having the test events kind of allayed those fears. Testing shows the water quality is excellent.’’ But. “We’ll probably minimize the amount of time that we spend in there, to safeguard. Just in case.”