Concerns over the water quality of Paris’ Seine River have cast a shadow over the 2024 Olympics, leading to the cancellation of a pre-race triathlon swimming event. Despite a $1.5 billion investment to clean the river and assurances from officials that it would be safe, recent tests revealed unsafe levels of E. coli, particularly after heavy rains. This has reignited doubts about whether the Seine is ready for Olympic swimming events, even as Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo recently took a dip to demonstrate its safety. The stakes are high as the Games approach, with athletes and organizers hoping for a last-minute improvement in water quality.
Due in large part to the low quality of the water, swimming in the Seine has been prohibited for more than a century.
The government has declared that the river would be clean enough to host activities, including the swimming leg of the triathlon and the marathon swimming competition after organizers spent $1.5 billion to prepare the Seine for these Games reports the New York Post.
Before any recent improvements, daily water quality testing in early June showed dangerously high levels of E. coli bacteria.
Less than two weeks before the Olympic games began, Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo made good on her pledge to demonstrate that the long-polluted river was clean enough to hold swimming competitions by taking a well-known dip in it.
Since water quality in the French capital is closely correlated with the weather, heavy rain during the opening ceremony reignited worries over whether the long-polluted canal will be clean enough to hold swimming sports.
To ensure that Parisians will have a cleaner river following the Games and to prepare the Seine for the Olympics, organizers have made significant investments since 2015.
The plan called for modernizing wastewater treatment facilities, remodeling sewer infrastructure, and building a massive subterranean water storage basin in the heart of Paris.
It is the hope of triathletes that the waters will be suitable for swimming.
Spanish triathlete Alberto Gonzalez stated, “Hopefully we get to swim, bike, and run because I don’t swim this much to just run and bike.”
Recently, GreatGameInternational reported that a major sabotage operation disrupted France’s high-speed TGV train network just before the summer rush and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
One Response
Soon the whole Jewish Spectacle will be
cancelled by terrorists! 😀😀😀😀😀
Good riddance to bad (Jewish) garbage!