Sailors, rowers wary of contaminated water at Rio Olympics venues

RIO DE JANEIRO — Mexico sailing coach Agustin Bellocchio offered a tip to sailors and windsurfers at this week’s Olympic test event in Rio de Janeiro’s polluted Guanabara Bay:

Much of the focus at the recent test events for sailing and rowing for the 2016 Rio Olympics has been on having limited contact with the water.

Amid reports of high pollution in Rio’s waters, athletes are getting advice from team doctors and their federations about precautions to avoid becoming ill.

Rio’s pollution has been in the spotlight since an independent five-month analysis by the Associated Press published July 30 showed dangerously high levels of viruses from human sewage at all Rio Olympic water venues.

Under growing pressure, Rio state officials are employing stop-gap measures to retrieve floating rubbish from the bay, track detritus from helicopters, and step up bacteria-only monitoring.

The IOC has declined to endorse testing for viruses, which can cause stomach and respiratory ailments that could knock an athlete out of competition.

Rowers in a test event a week ago in Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon sterilized their oars with bleach, sealed water bottles in plastic zip-top bags, and carried antiseptic mouthwash.

Olympic gold-medalist Nathan Outteridge told The Australian newspaper of sailing through sewage flowing into the bay to reach the race course.