Rowing: Thor Nilsen, head coach of the Irish rowing programme, admitted he was taken by surprise by Gearóid Towey's revelation that was too ill to compete in Saturday's World Cup regatta.

"I must say I shouted at them today (Saturday) because they did not tell me," the septuagenarian admitted.

The big question may be whether Towey will be fit for the Olympics in Athens, but Nilsen wants to probe deeper.

"We should try to figure out why he got this training syndrome, if it is a virus or whatever it is. We need to sit down and go back a little in time and see when this started to happen.

"He tells us that also in Munich (the previous World Cup last month) he didn't feel well and of course it hasn't improved since then. And now the doctor here says that he has it for at least seven days.

"So there is something coming up yesterday and the day before and it could be the result of some problems earlier," he added. "We continued with the training in Munich, the normal training programme, and perhaps we should have been aware of it, we should have changed the training programme.

"Now (instead) we loaded (it) and loaded and loaded . . .

"Viruses like these are are quite a known problem in rowing. Every year, for instance, the Germans (the strongest rowing power) have at least 10 or 15 cases, when people get overtrained, overloaded, etc, and their immune system is low.

" They can get these things and it attacks certain nerve systems in the body and that's what is happening with him (Towey).

"So it's nothing new. But of course, it reduces your capacity (to train). With him, it seems as if he has also had an infection because his limbs are swollen and painful. So it is a combination of many things.

"But you know, the problem with these boys is that they never tell me anything. They always pretend to be 100 per cent okay - I think they feel shame if they are not okay!"

Asked if he feels Towey's illness is connected with the risks involved in being a lightweight, Nilsen was frank.

"Yes. First of all, you have hard training. And then you need to lose weight at the same time. Of course, the immune defence goes very quickly down and you are open for all kinds of problems."

So is Towey's racing weight of 69 kilogrammes just too low for him? "Yes. I don't like his weight and I don't like Sam's weight. That's for sure. But Gearóid was down to 69 kilos when he was in the (lightweight) pair. So it is not a new weight for him.

"I think he has less problems with that weight than Sam has with 71 (his race weight of 71 kilogrammes). Because Sam has nearly always been descending 2½ kilos.

"But I would say they are behaving well. Their eating habits have changed in a very positive direction. They manage themselves cleverly and they know what they are supposed to do.

"The problem is, of course, if you get a virus or something and you continue with the same training programme and, at the same time, try to lose some weight then . . . this is a salad that doesn't fit together!

"It could be that this was good, that we got this little breakdown now, so they understand that the body is an instrument they cannot play with. They must be aware of small things and they must try to protect themselves.

"Because sometimes these boys believe they can walk on water. In training and everything else they believe they have no limits. And they want to train hard and want follow the programme; if they don't follow the programme they feel embarrassed - they have to understand that the body has a limit. And for lightweights it has even extra limits because they cannot really fill up again. They are exceptions.

"I must say I shouted at them because they did not tell me. Because if they do not feel well it is not a cause of shame. I don't believe these people are lazy!"

What is his read on Italy and other Olympic contenders, having seen them in Lucerne?

"If we can keep up the standard we had for Munich - although now we know Gearóid was not in his best shape there - we know the boat is going fast. And we believe we can give everybody a fight for the Olympic medals.

"But you see here how sensitive human beings are and things can happen.

"But I believe if we can get our act together and learn from this experience . . . they have learned one thing from this weekend. It is the first time this year they are down in weight to lightweight and I must say that they managed that very well."