FUJAIRAH // The winner of the Open Water World Cup race in which the US swimmer Fran Crippen died said temperatures were dangerously high and demanded that more be done to protect swimmers' safety.
Crippen, 26, a four-time US champion, died on Saturday of "overexertion" during the last leg of the 10-kilometre race at Fujairah organised by the sport's world governing body, Fina.
Thomas Lurz, a nine-time open water champion from Germany, called on Fina to set maximum temperatures and increase supervision."The water was amazingly hot," Lurz said. "Nobody thought such things like yesterday could happen. It shows it was really just too hot. It was not just one swimmer. There were many swimmers who had serious problems in the water."
Many complained after the race of swollen fingers and toes, Lurz said. The UAE Swim Association confirmed that two Americans and a Brazilian were taken to hospital and released on Saturday.
Fujairah Hospital declined to comment on whether the swimmers' problems were heat related.
Ayman Saad, the managing director of the UAE Swim Federation, said that the temperature was not a factor in Crippen's death. The water temperature was 31°C near its finish at 11.30am, according to Fina measurements. Fina sets a minimum temperature of 16°C for open water courses and a maximum temperature of 28°C for pool water. Fina has no maximum temperature for open water courses.
Mr Saad said: "Even if we had this we don't have rules from Fina but to be honest some swimmers say they like the hot weather better," .
Gunnar Werner, of Sweden, a member of Fina's legal commission and a former Fina honorary member, came to Fujairah to lead an investigation yesterday. The report may be released tomorrow, said an official from the federation.
Pedro Agreda, a Fina media relations officer, said: "Following the conclusion of the investigation on this case, Fina will make public its conclusions and most of your questions will certainly be answered. For the moment, Fina does not make any further statements on this matter."
In addition to temperature controls, Lurz called on Fina to review its demanding schedule and revise rules where a swimmer must finish the final race to improve their rankings.
Swimmers led the search for Crippen when he did not appear at the race finish. His body was recovered about two hours later by divers at a depth of seven metres.
Lurz said: "It was unacceptable that swimmers were searching for another swimmer. That is horrible. This can't be."
Sixteen men on Jet skis and boats supervised the 81 athletes on the triangular 2km course. Mr Saad said although this met Fina requirements, he would like to see participant numbers limited.
Lurz agreed that more supervision is necessary at open water events. "Swimmers go under water in seconds," Lurz said. "There need to be more boats, jet skis, canoes who can take care of every swimmer."
Crippen grew up in suburban Philadelphia in a family of swimmers. He dreamt of being the first American medallist in open water swimming at the London Olympics in 2012. Crippen's sister, Maddy, a former Olympian swimmer, called yesterday on the US television show Good Morning America for greater safer measures on long distance swims.
She said: "My goal is to talk to everyone who was there and to hear exactly what safety measures were there. But the one thing that I do know is that in the months leading up to this event my brother had written letters to different organising committees about safety, the number of people who were there, the doctors that should be there, the support staff and the lack thereof."
Mr Saad said everything complied with Fina's requirements and that the UAE has successfully hosted races in similar conditions and temperatures since 2002.
"We have never had an accident before, we did the same thing we do every time," he said.
"Fina approved what we did. Nobody complained at the technical meeting the day before the race."
Crippen's body is expected to be delivered to US Swimming Federation authorities. The Ministry of Health could not release hospital reports, a spokesman said yesterday.
Maddy Crippen said her family did not know how her brother died. "My brother prided himself on being a specimen of excellence," she said. "He was at the height of his physical fitness."