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Associated Press

Green, not gold, was the colour of the day at the Olympic Games diving venue in Rio de Janeiro.
Sure, China won their third consecutive gold medal on Tuesday, but the buzz was about the colour of the water in the diving pool – a murky green.
That was in stark contrast to the pool’s light blue colour on the previous day and also that of the clear water in the second pool used for the water polo competition at Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre.
British diver Tom Daley, who earned bronze in men’s synchronised 10 metre on Monday, tweeted a photo of the two pools next to each other and captioned it, “Ermmm...what happened?!”

Ermmm...what happened?! pic.twitter.com/pdta7EpP2k
— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) August 9, 2016

Water quality has been a major issue surrounding the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but in the ocean and lagoons, not the pools.
A statement from Olympic organisers said water tests were conducted and there was no risk to athletes. They couldn’t explain the colour change, but said it’s being investigated.
Like swimming in soup: Australia swimming coach complains of ‘cloudy’ water in Olympic Games training pool
“We don’t know exactly what happened,” organising committee spokesman Mario Andrada said. “And we don’t know yet why the pool changed colours.
“If it were green and yellow, we would know it was a patriotic thing,” Andrada joked, referring to Brazil’s national colours.

“We did test the water using the same parameters we do every day, and the results were exactly the same as we got when the pool was blue.”
Canada team leader Mitch Geller suspected the cause was algae that multiplied quickly in the day’s warm and sunny conditions.
“Everybody was scratching their heads going, ‘What’s going on?’” he said. “I think that the filter is busted, but I’m not sure.
“It’s not really dangerous. It’s not like it’s toxic or dirty or any of that. It seemed to get worse over the course of the competition.”
WATCH: golden moments on Day 4 at Rio Olympics


The water wasn’t just a cosmetic nuisance; it was so dark that divers couldn’t see the bottom of the pool.
“They’re used to seeing the water,” Geller said. “The visuals are really, really important in diving.”
China’s Chen Ruolin, who teamed to win gold with Liu Huixia, said it didn’t affect them.
Paola Espinosa of Mexico, competing in her fourth Olympics, noticed the pool getting increasingly darker throughout the six round competition. But she said the water didn’t smell or affect her skin.
“I haven’t seen anything like it before,” Espinosa said. “But it’s Brazil and everything is green down here, so maybe it was a decoration to make it look pretty.”

American Jessica Parratto wears contacts and said the water didn’t burn her eyes.
Bronze medallists Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Canada tried not to laugh as they gazed at the water from the top of the 33 foot tower. They liked that the dark green colour offered a helpful contrast with the blue sky.
“The only thing we said is don’t open your mouth in the water, just in case,” Benfeito said.
Geller said a Canadian pool expert was arriving on Wednesday and he would offer to help Rio organisers chemically treat the water if there’s a problem with the filter.
“I don’t know what it’s going to look like tomorrow,” he said. “I hope it’s not a swamp.”




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Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Murky waters: Green, not gold, colour of the day at Olympic Games diving pool

The diving pool (left) and the water polo pool at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre. Photo: AP

FILE - In this combination of file photos, China's Lin Yue, bottom left, and Chen Aisen compete during the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving final on Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, and Brazil's Ingrid Oliveira and Giovanna Pedroso, at right, compete during the women's synchronized 10-meter platform diving final on Tuesday, Aug. 9, in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The water at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center was greener Tuesday during the women’s synchronized diving competition 10-meter platform final than one day earlier during the men’s competition. Venue managers did not immediately comment on the water. (AP Photos/Matt Dunham, File)

epa05468911 Gold medalists Chen Ruolin and Liu Huixia of China smile with their medals during the medal ceremony for the women's Synchronized 10m Platform Final competition of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Diving events at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 09 August 2016. EPA/ALEJANDRO ERNESTO

‘Irresponsible’ loss steels China’s 3m springboard diving king Qin Kai in quest for record third straight Olympic gold

China's Cao Yuan (Left) and Qin Kai take part in a training session at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre. Photo: AP

(120801) -- LONDON, Aug. 1, 2012 (Xinhua) -- Qin Kai (L)/Luo Yutong of China pose at the awarding ceremony of men's synchronised 3m springboard event at the London 2012 Olympic Games in London, Britain, Aug. 1, 2012. The Chinese divers claimed the title in this event. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)(zgp)

Qin Kai, left, and Wang Feng, of China, hold their gold medals won in the men's synchronized 3m springboard diving at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Beijing, Wedneday, Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Out with a bang: China’s Wu Minxia wins record fifth diving Olympic gold medal before retirement

Wu and Shi compete in the women’s synchronised 3-metre springboard final at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Reuters

Five-time Olympic diving gold-medallist Wu Minxia congratulates team-mate Shi Tingmao in Rio on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Wu and Shi on their way to winning gold in the women's synchronized 3m fpringboard final. Photo: AFP

Shi and Wu pose with their gold medals. Photo: AP

In pursuit of perfection: Chinese diving star Wu Minxia eyes Olympics Games record in Rio de Janeiro

Chinese diver Wu Minxia arrives at the airport in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Xinhua

China's Wu Minxia poses with her gold medal after winning the women's 3m springboard final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre August 5, 2012. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne/File Photo

FILE - In this July 25, 2015, file photo, China’s gold medalists Shi Tingmao and Wu Minxia compete during the women's 3-meter Synchro Springboard diving final at the Swimming World Championships in Kazan, Russia. Wu had planned to retire after London, but she’s continued on. She will try to win a fourth consecutive gold in 3-meter synchro, this time with partner Shi Tingmao, who was FINA diver of the year in 2015. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)

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The water turned a murky green, althought Rio de Janeiro organisers insisted there was no risk to athletes despite the appearance


Murky waters: Green, not gold, colour of the day at Olympic Games diving pool

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The water turned a murky green, althought Rio de Janeiro organisers insisted there was no risk to athletes despite the appearance

The water turned a murky green, althought Rio de Janeiro organisers insisted there was no risk to athletes despite the appearance