The international swimming federation has strongly criticized the organizers of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro over what it says are substandard facilities and “disrespect” for aquatic events.
FINA, which oversees some of the Olympics’ most-watched events, attacked the organizers and Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes on various grounds, including slashing the seating capacity at the main pool, according to a FINA letter obtained by The Associated Press.
Athletes’ health and safety could be at risk over viruses in the area of sea used for open water swimming events and organizers’ decision to use an open-air venue for diving, water polo and synchronized swimming, FINA warned.
The letter, dated on Monday and addressed by FINA president Julio Maglione to Paes and next year’s organizing committee, was circulated among leading swimming figures.
It seems to suggest relations are at breaking point.
“The recent decisions of Mr Eduardo Paes ... are seriously damaging the image and value of FINA and its disciplines,” the letter said. “This situation is in clear disrespect for the FINA requirements concerning aquatic venues, and will negatively affect the safety conditions and the level of performances of our athletes.”
Four-time Olympic champion Alexander Popov is quoted in the letter as saying that swimming conditions in Rio would be “a step back in relation to previous editions” of the Olympics.
FINA is particularly critical of changes to the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, the main pool for swimming’s most-watched events. FINA says design changes mean the stadium will seat only 12,500 to 13,000 people compared with 17,500 for the main pool at the last Olympics in London.
“Therefore, the main venue of the leading sport from the Olympic movement ... is diminished in terms of importance and value,” the letter said. “Providing less available space for TV, media, athletes and spectators, this will naturally have its negative impact in terms of the coverage of the Olympic competition and in terms of working conditions for all those using the venue.”
The letter demands testing for virus levels in the water off the Copacabana beach, which is to be used for men’s and women’s marathon swimming events. Organizers agreed to test for viruses earlier this month after earlier insisting that only bacterial testing was required.
That came after the AP released a five-month-long independent study showing high levels of viruses at Olympic venues for sailing, rowing, canoeing, triathlon and open-water swimming. About 1,400 athletes will compete in the hazardous waters.
The FINA letter also said athletes’ safety is at risk from a decision not to put a roof over the open-air Maria Lenk Aquatic Park, which is to hold the diving, water polo and synchronized swimming events. All took place indoors at London in 2012.
“The weather conditions may influence not only the athletes’ performances, but more importantly their health and safety,” the letter said, going on to criticize Paes for refusing proposals to put a temporary cover on the arena.
In a statement, Rio organizers said they have been in contact with FINA over the issues. They said shifting water polo and the seating reduction in the main swimming venue was to save money in order for the Games to be “economically sustainable.”
Local organizers said they were exploring testing for viruses in Rio’s water venues and were taking guidance from the WHO.
Last month, the WHO top water expert Bruce Gordon told AP the body recommends viral test in Rio’s Olympic waters.
FINA’s criticisms attracted support from Vladimir Salnikov, the influential head of Russia’s swimming federation, who said “these problems have to be solved on time” and that earlier recommendations from FINA “obviously haven’t been listened to,” in comments on Wednesday to Russian agency R-Sport.
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but