Water returning to normal color in Rio Olympic diving, water polo pools
RIO DE JANEIRO — The color of Olympic officials’ faces was turning from red to their natural color on Thursday as the pool used for diving and water polo began turning to blue from green.
The use of chemicals began to address the embarrassment of green water that developed Wednesday when the pool water mysteriously turned to the color of swamp green.
Rio Games spokesman Mario Andrada said chemicals used to treat the water are solving the problem and that the chemicals are being used judiciously to ensure the athletes’ safety. The water quality has been tested by technicians who work for the Rio Games and an outside group, according to Andrada.
"There is absolutely no risk to the athletes,'' he said. "We cannot have any risk to the health of the athletes."
Although Olympic officials found themselves the butt of jokes over the problem they said resulted from alkalinity issues, Andrada said members of the Brazilian water polo team had no objection to the shade of color after they defeated Serbia, which had been favored to win the gold medal, on Wednesday.
“In joking, they requested us to keep the water green because it brought them good luck,’’ he said.