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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Rio Olympics organizers closed the diving pool on Friday morning after some athletes complained of green water stinging their eyes.
As the organizers were seeking ways to turn the color of the pool water from green back to blue, Rio organizing committee spokesperson Mario Andrada said the work lasted "longer than expected."
"The training session was canceled in order to clean faster and easier ... It was longer than expected ... and the rain doesn't help," Andrada said.
It started raining Thursday and is still drizzling Friday morning.
However, Andrada said that the water won't do any harm to the health of the athletes.
The diving pool's water turned a murky green earlier in the week midway through the synchronized events and the neighboring water polo pool was affected the same way later.
Many people, including audience and some athletes, noticed the change and wondered what happened.
International swimming governing body FINA announced Wednesday afternoon that the reason for the green water is that "the water tanks ran out of some of the chemicals used in the water treatment process."
So far, the color of the Rio diving pool failed to return blue after the organizers reportedly applied different treatments.
Nevertheless, more athletes playing in the neighboring pool complained that the water stung their eyes. "I could barely open my eyes for the final quarter," said Tony Azevedo, the captain of Team USA men's water polo who gamed in the pool next to the diving one.
Still, it's worth mentioning that not all athletes worried about the green water.
British diver Chris Mears, who claimed gold on Wednesday night for Britain in the 3-meter sychronised diving said a green pool "helped in a way" as it distinguished the sky and the pool when diving.
Mexican star diver Paola Espinosa also said: "We noticed it, but it didn't smell, and nothing is left on our skin, so it didn't really affect us."
