By Jedd Francis De Luna
“It is the dirtiest place [we] have ever trained or competed in.”
This was the response of several Olympic sailors after practicing at the sailing venue in Rio de Janeiro, where the 2016 Olympic Games will take place
According to a report by the Daily Mail, athletes in swimming and sailing events, who were practicing at their respective venues in the city, complained about the stench.
The report also added that the untreated sewage in the city can be estimated at around 60%, which the waters will also flow to swimming, rowing, and sailing venues at the Olympics, one of which is the iconic Guanabara Bay, which is still a concern because of illegal dumpings.
It said that nearly 80-100 tons of garbage are washed into the bay every single day, but the government is only able to remove nearly 400 tons a month.
Even Mario Andrada, the Rio 2016 Olympics Director of Communcations said that “[t]here is a huge problem with garbage,” and added that even though “the water is not fully clean, it will be safe for the Olympics.”
The Olympics will commence on the 5th of August the following year, while the Paralympics will commence on the 7th of September the following year as well.
‘Super bacteria’ also causes threat
In December, a dry-resistant ‘super bacteria,’ that can normally be found in hospital institutions, was discovered in the water around the Guanabara Bay, according to reports from The Forbes.
The Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, of the Brazil Health ministry), found based on their water quality tests that along with the bay and river, several sites, including Flamengo beach, where tourists can watch the event, is contaminated with these organisms that carry carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia enzyme, or also known as KPC, the report added.
Filipinos eye for Olympics
Despite these issues, Filipino athletes still pursue to make it through the 2016 Rio Olympics, one is BMX race Daniel Caluag, who won the country’s first gold medal in the 17th Asian Games.
Caluag said in a report with The Philippine Star that he “and [his] coach has already set [their] goal, that is the Rio Olympics.”
Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin, too, wants to put the Philippine team to the Olympics next year.
“I wanna see Gilas Pilipinas in Rio in the Olympics. I wanna see us have gold medals in our next FIBA Asia qualifications,” said Baldwin in a report from GMA News.
ON THE LOOKOUT 