The River Seine in Paris faced a setback during the training session for triathletes as it failed pollution checks. The swim leg of the triathlon familiarization had to be cancelled due to concerns over water quality. The Seine, which is set to be used for triathlon and marathon swimming during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, is affected by heavy rain that leads to untreated effluent discharge into the river. Despite the challenges, organisers remain vigilant and are monitoring the situation closely to ensure the health and safety of the athletes.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has been a proponent of cleaning up the Seine in preparation for the Olympics. French authorities have invested heavily in water treatment and storage facilities to improve water quality. Hidalgo even swam in the river to demonstrate its readiness for the games and to highlight the legacy achievement of creating public bathing areas in the Seine for residents of the city. The investment in infrastructure has been a priority to ensure that the water quality meets the required standards for outdoor swimming events.
The triathlons scheduled for July 30-31 and August 5, as well as the open-water swimming events on August 8-9, are expected to proceed as planned. Organisers have the ability to delay the outdoor swimming events in case of rain or poor water quality. As a last resort, the swimming leg of the triathlon may be cancelled and moved to an alternative location on the Marne river east of Paris. The priority remains the health and safety of the athletes participating in the events.
Despite the challenges posed by water quality issues, Paris has made significant progress in cleaning up the Seine over the past decade. With investments totaling 1.4 billion euros, the city has upgraded its water treatment and storage facilities to ensure that the river is suitable for recreational activities like swimming. The legacy achievement of creating public bathing areas in the Seine demonstrates the commitment of Paris authorities to environmental sustainability and improving the quality of urban waterways.
The locations chosen for outdoor swimming events at the Paris 2024 Olympics have been a point of contention, similar to previous games in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. Water quality concerns have been a common theme in the lead-up to major sporting events, highlighting the importance of environmental stewardship and ensuring the safety of athletes. By addressing these challenges head-on and implementing measures to improve water quality, Paris is striving to create a sustainable legacy for future generations to enjoy clean and safe urban waterways for recreational activities.
