Police found no evidence that sports drinks handed out at Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground had been deliberately pierced or contaminated, after 16 students reported feeling unwell. Testing found no abnormal, toxic or unknown liquid in the bottles.
The drinks were distributed outside the venue during Maryknoll Secondary School’s athletics meet on Tuesday. The students reported vomiting, diarrhoea or dizziness after receiving the drinks and sought medical treatment; all had since been discharged from hospital.
A police demonstration showed how the bottles could appear to spray when squeezed. The drinks had been chilled in an ice bath, allowing water to collect between the bottle and its tear-off label. Pressure on the bottle could force the water through tiny perforations in the label, creating the appearance of a puncture.
Police said they were still examining why the students felt unwell, including whether strenuous exercise, food eaten that day, previous health conditions or unhygienic containers used for the ice bath played a part.