As the row over a Fife pool continues, it has emerged a local athlete has narrowly missed out on a place in Scotland’s Commonwealth Games team due to respiratory problems.
Several elite Carnegie Swimming Club swimmers have been hit by ill health, leading to fears the problems may stem from the training pool area of the revamped Carnegie Leisure Centre.
Many snagging issues have come to light since it reopened after its controversial £18 million refit in 2011, but the latest claim, where a sportscotland medic advised elite athletes not to use the training pool, is the most serious yet.
While the club president stressed it cannot prove the facilities have caused ill health among some of its members, as test results are still to be revealed, there are concerns.
One member was hospitalised in severe respiratory distress and had cyanosis of the fingertips and lips, while another had pleurisy. Others have had asthma attacks.
A spokesman confirmed a sportscotland institute of sport doctor had conducted respiratory-based tests of athletes and “subsequently relayed concerns over an apparent reduction in athletes’ airway performance following intensive, high- performance sessions”.
The Commonwealth hopeful’s ability to inflate his lungs was significantly impaired “and that put paid to his chances” said head coach John Szaranek. While he stressed the worry was not just about that swimmer, club president Laura Fullarton added: “We know not all of our swimmers are being affected, but for those who are, their health and their training is being compromised it is heartbreaking for every one of them.”
Mr Szaranek, who said the swimmer was making a good recovery, added: “This is about the wider implications for the health of the kids.
“I have significant concerns for the young swimmers who train at a very high level. You cannot compare them with other users; they can swim at higher levels, for longer and faster, than the average person can and that is being compromised.
“Their training conditions have to be spot on for them to perform at the highest level.”
Mrs Fullarton said the club, which has been East District champions for the last three years, wants to work with Fife Council and Fife Sport and Leisure Trust to try to resolve problems; sportscotland, too, would work to help.
Stressing customers’ health was taken seriously, Fife Council’s head of asset and facilities management services, Ken Gourlay, confirmed tests are under way.
“We know the trust have had a complaint on this and we’ve been working closely with them and the swimming club to investigate,” he said.
He said results of a range of tests, to find out if alterations were needed, were expected soon and the council, which is working with the building contractor, would be happy to share them with sportscotland.
Meanwhile, a Fife Sports and Leisure Trust spokesperson said the training pool is being used by a range of customers and swimming club members without issues or complaint.
She added the council and trust had met the club and acted promptly to carry out tests.
“Following these tests, procedures were put in place to improve air and water quality. Further tests were recently conducted and the trust is awaiting those results.
“The trust feels it is important to state that it has had no conclusive evidence of a link between the training pool environment and the health concerns expressed by Carnegie Swimming Club.
“In addition, pool air sampled during tests showed zero reading for contaminants during normal swimming session; the main pool was also tested at this time and the results showed normal readings. Both the training and main pools are safe to use.”