Men’s Triathlon Postponed Due to Seine River Water Quality Issues

The men’s Olympic triathlon in Paris, originally set for Tuesday, has been postponed due to concerns over the water quality in the Seine River, which was supposed to host the swimming section of the race.

Officials announced that they are now aiming to hold the triathlon on Wednesday instead. Additionally, the women’s competition is also planned for Wednesday, but both events depend on the results of upcoming water tests. There is a backup date available on Friday if needed.

However, weather forecasts from Meteo-France suggest that storms could complicate these plans, with rain expected on Wednesday afternoon and storms again on Thursday. Heavy rains can raise levels of harmful bacteria like E. coli in the Seine, posing health risks.

This past weekend, Paris experienced significant rainfall during the Olympic opening ceremony, and the swimming training sessions for the triathletes were canceled on both Sunday and Monday over water quality fears.

The decision to postpone was made after a meeting in the early hours on Tuesday between representatives from World Triathlon and city officials. All parties agreed that, although there had been some improvements in water quality, readings at various parts of the swim course still exceeded acceptable limits.

With the men’s event now set to kick off at 10:45 a.m., the athletes may have to deal with high temperatures, as Wednesday’s forecast predicts a sizzling 35°C (95°F).

The women’s race is still scheduled to go ahead at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Organizers had initially been confident that the bacteria levels in the Seine would improve with clearer skies and warmer temperatures, but those hopes fell short of ensuring the athletes’ safety.

Paris has invested heavily—about $1.5 billion—into making the Seine suitable for swimming, implementing several measures including building a large basin to manage excess rainwater and upgrading sewer systems.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, notably swam in the Seine two weeks ago to demonstrate the efforts made to clean the river. But recent tests indicated that E. coli levels were only slightly above the safe threshold.

Looking ahead, other swimming events scheduled to take place in the Seine include the mixed relay on August 5 and the marathon swimming events on August 8 and 9, but their status also remains uncertain.