RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — If you're the head of world sailing, this is your worst Olympic nightmare.
A sailor nears the finish line in Rio de Janeiro's polluted Guanabara Bay, holding the lead with a coveted gold medal in sight. Suddenly, the boat loses speed. A plastic bag catches the rudder. Chasing boats overtake for all the medals, and millions on worldwide television watch a life-time dream being crushed.
"We want an absolutely fair playing field; getting the rubbish out of the water," Andy Hunt, the CEO of World Sailing — the sport's governing body — told The Associated Press.