Olympic organizers have canceled triathlon training in the Seine for the second consecutive day, just 24 hours before the men’s race, due to concerns over water quality.
Heavy rainfall has exacerbated pollution levels and increased the speed of the river current, leading Paris 2024 organizers and World Triathlon to conclude that the water quality does not meet safety standards for the event.
Despite the setback, officials remain optimistic. They believe that a forecasted day of warm sunshine on Monday will help lower water and bacteria levels, making the event feasible. \"The required flow of the river of one cubic meter per second has been met and we don't have an issue,\" stated Paris 2024 Organizing Committee CEO Etienne Thobois during a news conference.
Trickle-down Effect
The Seine's water quality is highly dependent on rainfall in and around Paris. The heavy downpours experienced during Friday’s Opening Ceremony overwhelmed the city's sewage system, resulting in untreated effluent entering the river. Until early July, the Seine consistently failed water tests, revealing unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria, an indicator of fecal contamination.
Despite a century-long ban on swimming in the Seine due to poor water quality, organizers have invested $1.5 billion over the past decade to prepare the river for the Olympics. Measures include constructing a large basin to prevent wastewater from flowing into the river and renovating sewer infrastructure.
Contingency Plans
A final decision on Tuesday’s triathlon race will be made at 4 a.m. local time, four hours before the men's event is scheduled to begin. Organizers have designated August 2 as a backup day for individual races and August 6 for the mixed relay. If elevated bacteria levels persist, the swimming portion will be canceled, and athletes will compete in a duathlon instead. As a last resort, the marathon swimming event could be relocated to Vaires-sur-Marne on the Marne river east of Paris.
Following the rain, some events have already been moved, including men’s skateboarding and tennis. The triathlon is set to be the first Olympic event held in the Seine, preceding marathon swimming in the second week of the Games.
Reference(s):
Triathlon swimming training canceled over poor Seine water quality
cgtn.com
