- Another scheduled swimming practice in the Seine was called off on Sunday
- Organisers determined that the river’s water quality was inadequate
- Doubts have arisen regarding the status of Monday’s mixed race
New concerns have emerged about the viability of the upcoming Olympics triathlon, driven by persistent worries over the water quality in the Seine.
A practice session scheduled for Sunday was cancelled in light of the upcoming mixed event, as recent rainfall in Paris led to pollution levels exceeding acceptable limits.
Organisers indicated they would make a decision regarding the mixed race tomorrow morning, just hours before its scheduled start.
If the historic Seine remains unsuitable for swimming, a back-up day has been set for Tuesday.
Earlier in the Games, the men’s triathlon, won by Britain’s Alex Yee, was also postponed, with both the men’s and women’s familiarisation sessions having been cancelled before the events.
Swimming practice in the River Seine (pictured) was cancelled on Sunday due to poor water quality
Team GB’s Alex Yee won the men’s triathlon earlier this week, but the race was delayed because of poor water quality in the Seine
Beth Potter won a bronze in the women’s triathlon, and is poised to participate in Monday’s mixed event if it proceeds
E. coli levels were found to be excessively high, despite a £1 billion clean-up effort. This has led many to question the rationale behind using the Seine for these events.
Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps did not disclose the latest test results, stating she lacked the data.
‘The decision to cancel the swim familiarisation for the mixed triathlon was made,’ she said.
‘We shared this information last night to ensure athletes received timely communication.’
‘The cancellation followed recent rainfall. We anticipate improvements in the coming hours. I don’t have the latest figures, but we are hopeful about tomorrow’s weather. We will decide based on the last samples tomorrow morning.’
Approximately a month before the Games commenced, tests indicated that E. coli levels—associated with fecal contamination—were ten times higher than what is considered acceptable.
