Video: Triathletes' Swim in Seine Cancelled Due to Poor Water Quality

The first training swim for triathletes at the 2024 Olympics has been cancelled due to poor water quality in the Seine. This was reported by AFP.

The organizing committee notes that water quality has deteriorated in recent days due to rainfall. Organizers are confident that the triathlon competitions will take place as scheduled on July 30 and 31.

Earlier in July, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the Seine to demonstrate that the river was safe for competitions. Before the swim, the area was inspected, and two bicycles and a scooter were removed from the riverbed. Hidalgo's swim was initially planned for June but was postponed due to heavy rains and an increase in wastewater leading to higher bacterial counts in the Seine.

Hidalgo swam in the Seine after France's Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had done so. Prior to the Olympics, discussions about swimming in the river had taken place between Thomas Bach, the head of the IOC, and French President Emmanuel Macron. The latter intended to swim in June, but the plans were delayed due to parliamentary elections in the country, resulting in both Bach and Macron missing the opportunity to swim in the Seine.