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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Just days ahead of the Olympic Games the waterways of Rio de Janeiro are as filthy as ever, contaminated with raw human sewage teeming with dangerous viruses and bacteria, according to a 16-month-long study commissioned by The Associated Press.Not only are some 1,400 athletes at risk of getting violently ill in water competitions, but the APs tests indicate that tourists also face potentially serious health risks on the golden beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.The APs survey of the aquatic Olympic and Paralympic venues has revealed consistent and dangerously high levels of viruses from the pollution, a major black eye on Rios Olympic project that set off alarm bells among sailors, rowers and open-water swimmers.Since the AP released the initial results last July, athletes have been taking elaborate precautions to prevent illnesses that could potentially knock them out of the competition, including preventatively taking antibiotics, bleaching oars and donning plastic suits and gloves in a bid to limit contact with the water.But antibiotics combat bacterial infections, not viruses. And the AP investigation found that infectious adenovirus readings -- tested with cell cultures and verified with molecular biology protocols -- turned up at nearly 90 percent of the test sites over 16 months of testing.Thats a very, very, very high percentage, said Dr. Valerie Harwood, Chair of the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida. Seeing that level of human pathogenic virus is pretty much unheard of in surface waters in the U.S. You would never, ever see these levels because we treat our waste water. You just would not see this.While athletes take precautions, what about the 300,000-500,000 foreigners expected to descend on Rio for the Olympics? Testing at several of the citys world-famous beaches has shown that in addition to persistently high viral loads, the beaches often have levels of bacterial markers for sewage pollution that would be cause for concern abroad -- and sometimes even exceed Rio states lax water safety standards.In light of the APs findings, Harwood had one piece of advice for travelers to Rio: Dont put your head under water.Danger is lurking even in the sand. Samples from the golden beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema revealed high levels of viruses, which recent studies have suggested can pose health risks -- particularly to babies and small children.You know how quickly an infant can get dehydrated and have to go to the hospital, said Harwood. Thats the scariest point to me.While local authorities including Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes have acknowledged the failure of the citys water cleanup efforts, calling it a lost chance and a shame, Olympic officials continue to insist Rios waterways will be safe for athletes and visitors.We would never, ever risk the health or the condition of any athlete for a competition, said Mario Andrada, chief spokesman for the local organizing committee. So the health of the athletes is our first priority. And the athletes dont run a risk sailing in Guanabara Bay.The committee has previously said bacterial testing conducted by Rio state authorities has shown the aquatic venues to be within state guidelines.The crux of the issue lies in the different types of testing used to determine the health and safety of recreational waters.Bacterial tests measure levels of coliforms -- different types of bacteria that tend not to cause illnesses themselves but are indicators of the presence of other, potentially harmful sewage-borne pathogens such as other bacteria, viruses and protozoa that can cause cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid, among other diseases. Bacterial tests are the worldwide standard because theyre cheap and easy.But theres a growing consensus that theyre not ideal for all climates, as bacteria break down quickly in tropical weather and salty marine waters. In contrast, viruses have been shown to survive for weeks, months or even years -- meaning that in tropical Rio low bacterial markers can be completely out of step with high virus levels.That disparity was borne out in the APs testing. For instance, in June 2016, the levels of fecal coliforms in water samples at Ipanema Beach were extremely low, with just 85 fecal coliforms per 100 milliliters. But still, it had high readings for rotavirus, the main cause of gastroenteritis globally, with 32.7 million rotaviruses per liter.The testing revealed alarming spikes in fecal coliform levels -- the very measure the state government uses to determine the safety of Rios recreational waters.If these were the reported values in the United States, lets say in California, there is definitely an indication of a problem, said Dr. Kristina Mena, a waterborne virus expert at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.According to Californias bacterial tests standards, 400 fecal coliforms per 100 milliliters is the upper limit for a beach to be considered safe for swimming. APs tests revealed that Copacabana Beach, where the marathon and triathlon swimming are to be held and thousands of tourists are likely to take a dip, exceeded Californias limit five times over 13 months of testing.The beaches even violate Rio states own standards, which are much less stringent than those in California, many other U.S. states and beach-loving countries such as Australia and New Zealand.Promises to clean up Rios waterways stretch back decades, with a succession of governors setting firm dates for a cleanup and repeatedly pushing them back. In the citys 2009 Olympic bid document, authorities pledged the games would regenerate Rios magnificent waterways.Just over a month before the games, biologist Mario Moscatelli spent more than two hours flying over Rio in a helicopter.Viewed from above, rivers are tar-black; the lagoons near the Olympic Park bloom with fluorescent green algae; surfers paddle amid a giant brown stain that contrasts with the azure of the surrounding waters.The Guanabara Bay has been transformed into a latrine, said Moscatelli, an activist whos the most visible face of the fight to clean up Rios waterways. Unfortunately Rio de Janeiro missed the opportunity, maybe the last big opportunity to clean it up.---Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman, Stephen Wade and Diarlei Rodrigues contributed to this report.---Peter Prengaman on Twitter: twitter.com/peterprengaman Alex Smith Redskins Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Sam Huff Youth Jersey . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. https://www.redskinssportsgoods.com/Womens-Earnest-Byner-Inverted-Jersey/ . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Bryce Love Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Joe Theismann Womens Jersey . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Brazilians are one step away from a shot at Olympic gold, and nothing could make the host nations fans happier.Womens soccer has not traditionally been popular in Brazil, but Marta and her teammates have been capturing hearts as theyve traveled across the country en route to a semifinal match against Sweden on Tuesday at the Maracana Stadium.Some fans have even replaced Neymars name on their No. 10 jerseys with Martas.We are aware of the pressures, Brazil coach Vadao said through a translator on Monday. The result has to be a gold because thats a need for womens football.Although Brazil is a win away from the gold-medal match, the team will first have to overcome a pumped up Sweden team that knocked off the three-time defending champion United States in the quarterfinals. The loss sent the top-ranked Americans home without a medal for the first time at the Olympics. The World Cup champions were vying for their third straight gold.Sweden deployed a defensive strategy against the United States and won 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. Afterward, U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo drew attention for calling Sweden a bunch of cowards for the style of play.Its a good bet that Sweden will use a similar tactic against Brazil, which defeated the Swedes 5-1 in group play. Marta and Beatriz each had two goals.Brazil, ranked eighth in the world, finished atop Group E and went on to defeat upstart Australia in the quarterfinals, advancing 7-6 on penalties after a scoreless draw.The Brazilians have twice won silver medals at the Olympics, where womens soccer made its debut in 1996. Both times, at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games, the United States won in the final.Sweden, ranked No. 6, finished third in the group before the big win over the United States. Swedens best finiish at the games was in Athens, when the team fell to Germany in the bronze-medal match.ddddddddddddNow we have so much energy. The way we talk about the game tomorrow, its a special moment, Sweden coach Pia Sundhage said. I thought it was a really special moment in the quarterfinal against the United States. And now we have another one. That is unique. In the same tournament, you have two special games. Now we have a chance to win a medal, and well take it.Vadao said Brazil will be without defender Fabiana, who was stretchered off in the match against the Matildas. Veteran Cristiane, who has the most Olympic goals all-time among women, with 14, is a game-time decision because of a hamstring injury.Nearly 70,000 tickets have been sold for the match at the historic 78,000-seat stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Tuesdays other semifinal match, between Canada and Germany, will be played about 275 miles to the north in Belo Horizonte. The Olympic soccer tournament has been played in cities across the country, in addition to Rio.Canada, which won bronze four years ago, is the only team from the medal round at the London Games that has returned to the semifinals in Brazil. Canada defeated France in the quarterfinals, Sweden ousted the United States, and Japan (silver) didnt qualify for the tournament.Ranked No. 10 in the world, Canada has had a brilliant run in Brazil, with wins in all four of its matches, three of which were against top-five teams. One of those victories was a 2-1 upset of No. 2 Germany in group play.Germany also made it through, however, by beating China 1-0 on Friday in Salvador. Melanie Behringer scored the only goal for the reigning European champions. ' ' '