Paris Olympics Faces Challenges with Seine Water Quality, Training Cancelled Again

Paris: The Paris 2024 Olympics has encountered further complications as poor water quality in the River Seine has once again led to the cancellation of triathlete training. The uncertainty persists regarding the mixed relay event scheduled for Monday. Last week, training sessions were halted, and the men’s individual race was postponed by 24 hours due to pollution concerns. The event eventually took place after the women’s race on Wednesday.

A severe rainstorm on Thursday night is believed to have exacerbated the pollution levels, as downpours typically cause sewer discharges into the river. Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps announced that athletes were notified on Saturday evening about the training cancellation for Sunday due to recent rainfall.

Descamps expressed optimism about the weather forecast, stating, “We are hopeful that we can organise the competition tomorrow and will make the decision as planned tomorrow morning.” However, she did not disclose the latest water quality readings.

The mixed relay triathlon, introduced at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where Britain won gold, features teams of two men and two women each competing in a sprint format: a 300-metre swim, a 7-kilometre bike ride, and a 1.8-kilometre run. The Seine is also scheduled to host the marathon swimming events on August 8 and 9.

Triathletes have expressed concerns about the Seine’s strong currents and water quality. Belgian competitor Jolien Vermeylen remarked on her discomfort during the swim segment, describing unsettling experiences while swimming under bridges.

Despite these issues, Paris organisers maintained that the water quality met the “very good” standards set by World Triathlon, with E.Coli bacteria levels recorded at 192-308 cfu/ml on race day, well below the 1,000 cfu/ml threshold.