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Rowing - British team 'happy as can be' with water quality

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Britain's rowing performance director said he was satisfied with the water quality at Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, where rowing events will take place at this year's Rio Olympics.

Rowing - British team 'happy as can be' with water quality
(Reuters)

His comments come after months of debate over the quality of water at the venue, which some experts have warned contains dangerous levels of pollution and bacteria.

Reuters reported in June that scientists found dangerous drug-resistant "super bacteria" off beaches in Rio de Janeiro that will host Olympic swimming races and in the lagoon, where rowing events are scheduled to begin on Saturday.

But British rowing performance director David Tanner said he was comfortable with the water quality at the venue.

"We know that if there's some major weather event, the water quality can deteriorate, but in its normal way, which it is now, we are as happy as can be about the water," Tanner told a news conference at Lagoa Stadium on Wednesday.

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"There is hardly anywhere that we row that is totally perfect."

World Rowing Federation signed off on the facility's water quality in November.

Pete Reed, a member of Britain's men's eight crew, said the level of care over water safety was beyond anything he has seen before.

"I've been to my third Olympic Games now and a lot of different regattas, and I've never seen precautions like this," Reed said.

"It's not because there's a big threat but because it's the Olympics and it's important."

Rowing training was cancelled on Monday amid high winds that made practice impossible at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas facility, where sprint canoe events are also scheduled to take place.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)


2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



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