The Olympic men’s triathlon was postponed just hours before it was due to get under way on Tuesday after last-ditch water quality tests in the River Seine revealed unhealthy pollution levels, organisers said.
In a blow to Olympic officials who have repeatedly vowed that the Seine would be safe for athletes to swim in, organisers said the men’s event would be delayed by 24 hours and take place immediately after the women’s race on Wednesday.
A joint statement from Paris 2024 and World Triathlon blamed the excessive pollution on the heavy rain that deluged the French capital on Friday and Saturday.
French authorities have invested €1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) over the last decade to clean up the Seine, including in major new water treatment and storage facilities in and around Paris.
But heavy downpours still overwhelm the city’s underground drains and sewage system, leading to untreated effluent being released into the waterway.
After an exceptionally wet spring and start to summer, the Seine had been consistently failing water tests until the beginning of July, causing a major headache for Paris 2024 organisers. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, eventually swam in the Seine to demonstrate the river is now clean enough for outdoor Olympic swimming events.
Credit: rfi
