Why has the water in the Rio diving pool turned green?

So this is strange. Divers at the Rio Olympics arrived at the pool Tuesday to find the water green … and not a cheery green, either, but a stomach-churning, I’m-gonna-come-out-of-there-heaving-aren’t-I? green.

Amateur pool quality detectives have theorized that the chlorine balance in the pool is out of whack, allowing algae to form in the water. The solution is “shocking” the pool with a cocktail of specific chemicals, something that’s a matter of routine when talking about your neighborhood pool but a bit more complex with the most viewed aquatic center on the entire planet.

Athletes have continued diving into the green water anyway, even though we’re clearly talking about far nastier, or at least cloudier, water:

Worth noting, as Sports Illustrated points out: water in the diving pool is generally five to ten degrees warmer than the swimming pool, and is also outside. Warmer, outdoor water can promote algae growth. Just a theory here, but the type of chlorine treatment that works in one pool doesn’t necessarily apply to the other. There’s also the possibility of equipment failure.

Regardless, expect Rio officials to jump on this one in a hurry. The waterways of Rio may be impossible to clean, but a pool ought to be a much more manageable challenge.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.