Swimming: Controversy forced players to withdraw

JILSHAN: High water temperatures in the men’s and women’s 25-kilometre open water races at the World Championships forced 14 swimmers to quit during the competition. The US team offficals directed their teams not to compete because the water temperatures rose to 30.5 degrees, just 0.5 below Fina’s recommended upper limit, at the start of their races. American Claire Thompson did start but was instructed to get out of the water by US officials when their tests showed the water temperature to be 32.6 degrees. Defending men’s champion Valerio Cleri withdrew and was reported as saying, “It was too hot and dangerous”, while teammate Edoardo Stochino was pulled from the water and taken away on a stretcher although he returned after being examined.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2011.