Olympic Men’s Triathlon Postponed Due to Unhealthy Pollution Levels in River Seine
Just hours before the start of the Olympic men’s triathlon, the event has been postponed due to unhealthy pollution levels in the River Seine. Organisers announced the delay, citing last-ditch water quality tests that revealed water levels not suitable for athletes to swim in.
According to a joint statement from Paris 2024 and World Triathlon, the excessive pollution was caused by heavy rain that deluged the French capital on Friday and Saturday. The statement assured that the health of the athletes remains their top priority.
The tests carried out in the Seine today revealed water quality levels that did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held. Unfortunately, meteorological events beyond their control can alter water quality and compel them to reschedule the event for health reasons.
This is not the first time that pollution levels in the Seine have posed a problem for the Olympics. Organisers had already cancelled training sessions in the Seine scheduled for Sunday and Monday due to unsafe pollution levels caused by last week’s rain. Despite expressing confidence that the pollution would drop in time for Tuesday’s race, the situation has forced a last-minute postponement.
French authorities have invested 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) over the last decade to clean up the Seine, including major new water treatment and storage facilities in and around Paris. However, 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. Levels of the E.Coli bacteria, an indicator of faecal matter, were sometimes 10 times higher than authorised limits.
The triathlon is the first Olympic event scheduled to take place in the river, before marathon swimming in the second week of the Games. With the postponement, the men’s event will now take place immediately after the women’s race on Wednesday.
