The men’s triathlon event at the Olympics scheduled for Tuesday faces uncertainty due to pollution concerns in the River Seine, which led to the cancellation of the second and final swimming practice session. Paris 2024 in conjunction with World Triathlon announced that a 4am test indicated the water quality still did not meet acceptable standards following heavy rainfall over the weekend. A final assessment will take place at 3.30am on Tuesday, just four and a half hours before the race is set to start.
“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon emphasize that athlete health is their top priority,” stated the organizers. “The tests conducted in the Seine indicated water quality levels that, according to the international governing body, World Triathlon, did not offer adequate guarantees to proceed with the event. This is a result of the rainfall experienced in Paris on July 26 and 27.”
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If the water quality does not meet the necessary standards—with E. coli levels needing to be below the European limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 millilitres—there are contingency days set for August 1 and 2. Should poor water quality persist, the men’s and women’s races will convert to a duathlon format, substituting a 5km run for the 1500m swim, followed by a 40km bike ride and a final 10km run.
Nonetheless, organizers remain hopeful that the backup plans will not be needed. “Considering the weather predictions for the next 36 hours, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon believe that water quality will improve and fall within safe limits before the triathlon events on July 30,” they stated. “As noted in July, with improved summer conditions (more sunshine, higher temperatures, and reduced rainfall), water quality in the Seine has shown significant improvement.”
Swimming in the Seine has been prohibited for over a century. However, since 2015, roughly £1 billion has been invested to ensure a cleaner river for the Games and to enable Parisians to swim safely afterwards. Measures to enhance water quality include constructing a large basin to capture excess rainwater and minimize sewage overflow, along with infrastructure renovations and upgrades to wastewater treatment facilities.
The recent heavy rainfall has resulted in E. coli levels surpassing expectations, and on July 17, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, made headlines by taking a public swim in the Seine to alleviate concerns about pollution.
