The famous Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, which takes place every year on the River Thames, was expected to go ahead this weekend despite warnings about 'alarmingly high' levels of E. coli bacteria in the water.The environmental group River Action said Wednesday that it had regularly tested the section of the Thames where the race takes place between February 28 and March 26 and found E. coli levels up to 10 times higher than what U.K.
The group said it had worked with the organizers of the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race to create guidelines for rowing in polluted waters, which include tips such as covering cuts and blisters with waterproof dressings and making sure not to swallow river water that may splash close to the mouth.'We are in a tragic situation when elite athletes are issued with health guidance ahead of a historic race on the capital's river,' River Action CEO James Wallace said in a statement.