Rio de Janeiro's waterways are even more contaminated than previously thought and there are no efforts being taken to clean them up for next year's Olympics, according to Fox News. The sewage and trash filled waters are a great threat to the health of the athletes who will be competing in the waters.
Sailing, rowing and canoeing far offshore will still have athletes in danger, as the raw sewage concerns are not just along the shoreline, but farther out as well.
"It's going to increase the exposure of the people who come into contact with those waters," said U.S. expert in waterborne viruses Kristina Mena. "If we saw those levels here in the United States on beaches, officials would likely close those beaches."
Olympic and World Health Organization (WHO) officials continue to waggle on their promises to carry out viral testing, even though issues have been long documented. An independent five-month analysis showed dangerously high levels of viruses from human sewage in all of Rio's Olympic waters back in July, as previously reported by HNGN. In August, several wind surfers were sickened during test trials, including a man from South Korea who was hospitalized after testing in the polluted waters. Still, the International Olympic Committee refuses to move to cleaner venues.
German sailor Erik Heil was treated for the flesh-eating bacteria MRSA at a Berlin hospital, according to Esquire, after his exposure in the polluted waters.
"The health and safety of athletes is always a top priority and there is no doubt that water within the field of play meets the relevant standards," said the Rio 2016 Olympic organizing committee in a statement Tuesday, according to the Austin Daily Herald. "Rio 2016 follows the expert advice of the World Health Organization, whose guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments recommend classifying water through a regular program of microbial water quality testing."
Rio made a firm promise to clean up its waterways by improving sewage sanitations and has had years to prepare for the games. Brazilian officials have officially confirmed that this is not going to happen, placing all of the athletes at risk.
