Due to ongoing concerns about water quality in the Seine River, officials have canceled the swimming segment of the Olympic triathlon training session for the second consecutive day. Despite this setback, organizers of the Paris Games remain hopeful that triathletes will be able to use the iconic river for swimming when the competition begins on Tuesday. World Triathlon, its medical team, and city officials are relying on sunny weather and warmer temperatures to reduce bacteria levels to acceptable standards for the swim portion of the race, which also includes biking and running.
World Triathlon decided to cancel the swim workout early Monday after a review of the Seine’s water quality, which has been affected by recent weather conditions. Heavy rain during Friday’s opening ceremony and continued showers on Saturday led to postponements of some tennis matches and the skateboarding competition.
Paris 2024 officials and the international triathlon federation noted that Sunday’s water tests revealed conditions unsuitable for the training session, attributing the issue to the recent rainfall.
French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra assured French news channel CNEWS that officials remain confident about the situation. She explained that while their measures to manage bacteria levels in the river have been effective, they cannot control the weather. Nonetheless, she is optimistic that conditions will improve soon.
Paris Deputy Mayor Antoine Guillou expressed optimism at a Sunday news conference, noting that the Seine’s water quality has typically recovered to safe levels within 24 to 48 hours following similar rainfall events.
Olympic organizers also shared this confidence, with Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps affirming that they expect improvements based on weather forecasts for the next 48 hours. She highlighted that ongoing efforts by public authorities have already led to significant improvements in the Seine’s water quality.
