Rowers practice for the 2015 World Rowing Junior Championships on Rodrigo de Freitas lake in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015. The head of the governing body of world rowing says he will ask for viral testing at the rowing venue for next year's Rio Olympics, and says he expects all other water sports in Rio to follow suit.Silvia Izquierdo/The Associated Press
The head of the governing body of world rowing says he will ask for viral testing at the rowing venue for next year's Rio Olympics, and says he expects all other water sports in Rio to follow suit.
The move comes after an Associated Press investigation last week showed a serious health risk to about 1,400 Olympic athletes who will compete at water venues around Rio that are rife with human waste and sewage.
Matt Smith, the CEO of World Rowing, told the AP on Tuesday that "we will ask that viral testing is done."
Following AP's study, the World Health Organization advised the International Olympic Committee to analyze virus levels in Rio waters.
Smith said he expects federations for canoeing, swimming and triathlon to also seek viral tests.