5-time Olympic medallist Grael says Rio missed chance on bay

RIO DE JANEIRO – Torben Grael, Brazil’s most decorated Olympic athlete, says Rio de Janeiro has missed a once-in-a-lifetime chance to clean polluted Guanabara Bay, the venue for Olympic sailing.

In an interview with Canada’s CBC television, Grael says the bay “just looks horrible” and that “they’re going to be careful collecting the garbage in the racing areas, but that’s going to be just for the games.”

Grael said there had been hopes of an Olympic legacy for the bay “but it’s not going to happen, unfortunately.”

Grael has won five Olympic medals in sailing: two gold, a silver and two bronze medals. He has sailed for years in the Guanabara Bay and hoped the Olympics would prompt a wholesale clean up.

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