Do Pro Swimmers Ever Go To The Bathroom In The Pool?

When our bodies get immersed in water, it is hard not to pee, especially if you have a full bladder. For this reason, many swimmers, especially kids and adolescents, have been known to pee in the pool. The question arises though: do professional swimmers ever go to the bathroom in the pool?

What Professional Swimmers Say

Most professional swimmers admit that they pee in the pool. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian to date, acknowledges that he, and pretty much everyone else, pees in the pool. He admits that it is not that bad because everybody does it, and the chlorine kills all the germs anyways. 

Michael Phelps is not alone in arguing that chlorine should kill whatever bacteria might result from swimmers going to the bathroom in their public or private pools. Most scientists, however, affirm that peeing in the pool is not the best idea, as it can mix with chemicals in the pool and cause illness.

Carly Geehr, a former USA Swimming National Team Member, also admitted that she, and others, pee in the pool all the time. Geehr and many other swimmers admit that they go to the bathroom in the pool. They claim that all athletes do it. Most swimmers even go so far as to affirm that those who deny the fact that they pee in the pool are lying.

Why Do Swimmers Pee in the Pool?

Swimmers spend a lot of time in the water. Training sessions with teammates can take hours. If properly hydrated, most swimmers will need to use the bathroom after spending two hours in the pool, and most will not think much of it to simply let it all out rather than walking to the bathroom. 

Swimmers spend only a short period of time in the water during matches. This makes it much less difficult to avoid peeing in the water. While most athletes try to pee before competing, sometimes the nerves kick in, and they have to pee before they dive in. In this case, many athletes admit to letting the pee run down their legs as they stand to start their race.

Do Swimmers Pee When Racing?

While swimmers compete in a race, there is simply too much going on to pee. They are so focused on swimming and winning that their mind does not allow them to go to the bathroom. Although there are exceptions, most swimmers admit that they have not peed during a race. 

Sometimes, they can strain themselves enough while swimming that some pee will come out, but they are usually too focused to pee. Additionally, peeing while swimming in a race could mess up a professional swimmer's time. It could increase drag and remove their focus from winning, which is something they do not want.