Heavy rain continues to wreck havoc at Paris Olympics as swimming practice for men’s triathlon is thrown into doubt… with major concerns over whether the River Seine will be safe for athletes
- Since Thursday evening, there have been repeated downpours in Paris
- Men’s triathlon swimming training in jeopardy over pollution threat
Heavy rain continues to wreak havoc at the Olympic Games, leaving swimming training for tomorrow’s men’s triathlon in the Seine uncertain.
Since Thursday evening, there have been repeated downpours in Paris, disrupting the opening ceremony.
And now there are further concerns over whether the river, which has been the focus of a £1 billion clean-up project, is still fit for people to swim in.
Despite the significant investment, the threat of pollution, particularly E. coli, remains a concern. Heavy rainfall can be particularly damaging, as it can cause problems with wastewater.
The event was scheduled to start on Tuesday, but the main training session, in which participants must familiarize themselves with their surroundings, is at stake.
Since Thursday evening, there have been repeated downpours in Paris
Men’s triathlon swim training in the Seine now uncertain
Another concern is the speed at which the water is flowing due to the ongoing deluge.
Inspections are being conducted daily, with the final inspection expected to take place at 4am on Sunday, at which time a final decision will be made.
With rain still falling, Paris 2024 organiser Tony Estanguet told a press conference he was “very confident” that a swim in the Seine would be part of the triathlon competition.
The rain is expected to stop this afternoon and temperatures are expected to rise to over 30 degrees on Sunday.
British athletes have said they will use medical-grade cleansers and probiotics to protect themselves.
A Paris 2024 spokesperson said: ‘The rain that fell in Paris over the past 24 hours is likely to impact the water quality of the Seine over the next 24 to 36 hours.
‘Depending on the current water quality and the expected conditions in the next 24 hours, it is possible that the acclimatization (athlete training) scheduled for Sunday, July 28 at 8 a.m. will be canceled. The decision will be made during the daily situation meeting at 4 a.m. on July 28.
‘We are nevertheless confident that we will be able to organise the events as planned from 30 July. Given the weather forecast for the next 48 hours, we expect the water quality to be below the limits within the next 24 to 36 hours.
‘As we saw in July, water quality is improving significantly thanks to summer conditions (more sunshine, higher temperatures, longer absence of rain).’