One question was dominant recently at the diving events at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday. There has been serious confusion at the Rio Olympics after the water in the diving pool suddenly turned green.
“Ermmm…what happened?!” tweeted the bronze medalist.
According to The Guardian UK, on just Monday, the two pools had been the same azure shade, prompting speculation on social media – and at the games – over what could have happened overnight.
The question was: “What has turned the Olympic diving pool green?”
Tom Daley, the British diver, shared an image on Twitter on Tuesday that showed it to be a definite shade of green – particularly in comparison to the pristine water polo pool on the left.
But organizers’ assurances were not enough to put to rest the speculation that abounded on social media, amidst persistant concerns for the athletes’ safety. Dan Walker, a presenter for BBC Sport, ran a Twitter poll to gauge his followers’ thoughts on an explanation for the change in colour. An official statement on the cause for the colour change is understood to be being prepared by the organising committee for imminent release.
Britain’s Tonia Couch told Gibson that the pool appeared to turn an ever-darker hue the longer the 10m platform final went on, and prevented her from seeing her partner, Lois Toulson, underwater.. The mystery overshadowed coverage of the women’s synchronised diving finals at the aquatics centre on Tuesday, with the Guardian’s Owen Gibson reporting from Rio that the cause of the change was not known but there was no risk to athletes.
An overabundance of algae – often indicated by cloudy green water – was thought the most likely culprit in the highly unscientific poll of 3,690. It was considered more probable than the suggestion that the pool had been dyed to match the green of one half of the Brazilian flag.
A spokesman for the Rio 2016 organisers said water tests had been conducted and there was found to be “no risk whatsoever” to athletes, though the cause of the colour change was still being investigated.