US Rowing is reviewing details of illnesses that 11 athletes suffered while at the Rio 2016 Olympic venue for the World Junior Championships last week, a spokesperson said Monday.
U.S. rowers suffered stomach illnesses with reports of vomiting and diarrhea, according to The Associated Press, amid concerns about water quality at the open-water venues for the Olympics next year.
The site of the World Junior Championships, Rodrigo de Freitas Lake, is also the site of the Olympic rowing competition next year.
US Rowing did not announce the source of the illnesses. It has experienced illnesses during team travel on other trips to well-known destinations, including recently in Italy when six athletes out of 25 became ill.
“It is sometimes difficult to determine the exact cause,” US Rowing Director of Communications Allison Frederick said in an email. “Our staff will be reviewing details of the illnesses to assess the areas of risk and future protocol.”
The head of rowing’s international governing body, FISA, said last week that he would ask for viral testing to be done at the lake in the run-up to the Olympics, according to the AP.
“USRowing has been assured by FISA that the lake was being tested every two days for the weeks leading up to the competition and that the results of those tests showed no significant number on E. coli,” Frederick said.
Earlier this month, triathletes competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic venue on Copacabana Beach. Afterward, no illnesses widely reported, but some athletes said they were concerned about the water quality.
On July 30, the U.S. Olympic Committee said it was collecting data on the water quality at the Rio Olympic open-water venues to determine precautionary measures for American athletes.
An Olympic sailing test event will be held at the Rio 2016 venue at Guanabara Bay from Aug. 15-22.
U.S. Olympic Sailing managing director Josh Adams said July 30 that US Sailing continues to view the Olympic venue at Guanabara Bay as a safe place to sail.
