Olympic officials temporarily close diving pool because of green water

The Olympic diving pool was temporarily closed for training Friday morning as officials attempted to change its color from green to blue.

"We confirm that diving training in Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre pool is canceled this morning," Rio 2016 spokesman Philip Wilkinson said. "The reason is that the water must be still so the pool can return to its blue color as soon as possible."

The water suddenly turned green Tuesday, midway through the synchronized diving events. The pool was shut down when some divers arrived Friday morning, though it did finally open around noon. Simon Langford, media venue manager at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre, says training has resumed and preliminaries of women's 3-meter springboard will go on as scheduled later Friday.

The pool remained green early Friday afternoon.

Langford says the decision to cancel practice was supported by FINA, the sport's world governing body.

The murky green water of the pool has been a talking point of the Games so far.

A decrease in the alkaline level in the diving well Tuesday afternoon led to the green color, organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada said. He added that the pool for water polo and synchronized swimming is being affected in the same way, but "we expect the color to be back to blue very shortly.''

Two diving events were scheduled for Friday afternoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.