The swimming test event for the 2024 Paris Olympics is being scrapped after water quality in the Seine was found to be ‘below acceptable standards’ – despite France’s £1.2 billion effort to end pollution of the river
- The Seine is scheduled to host swimming events for the 2024 Olympics
A swimming test event for the 2024 Paris Olympics has been scrapped after water quality in the River Seine was found to be ‘below acceptable standards’.
It comes despite a £1.2 billion regeneration project in Paris aimed at ending pollution in the river.
The Seine would play host to marathon swimming, triathlon and paratriathlon events at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The organizers of the Open Water Swimming World Cup had hoped to prove that the water was now ready for elite athletes.
But a statement from World Aquatics organizers said: “Following recent above-average rainfall in Paris, the water quality in the Seine has remained below acceptable standards to protect bathers’ health.”
A swimming test event for the 2024 Paris Olympics has been canceled after water quality in the River Seine (pictured) was found to be ‘below acceptable standards’
It comes despite a £1.2bn regeneration project in Paris set up to end the river’s pollution. Pictured: A Fluidion employee collects a water sample from the Seine to analyze its composition ahead of the Olympic Games
Representatives from World Aquatics, the international swimming federation, joined officials from the Ville de Paris at 4 a.m. Sunday to study the test results.
They concluded that the match, which was to start at the historic Alexandre III Bridge within sight of the Eiffel Tower, could not take place.
The French Swimming Federation (FFN) joined World Aquatics in pointing out a water quality that was ‘below acceptable standards’.
Husain Al-Musallam, the president of World Aquatics, said he was “disappointed that the quality of the water leads to the cancellation of this World Cup, but the health of the athletes should always be our number one priority.”
Mr Al-Musallem added: “Based on this weekend, it is clear that further work needs to be done with Paris 2024 and local authorities to ensure robust contingency plans are in place for next year.”
Heavy rainfall in Paris over the past week has flooded sewers and polluted the River Seine, the federation said.
The Seine would host marathon swimming, triathlon and paratriathlon events at the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Samples of the water from the River Seine are taken for a quality test on August 4
Despite the setback, World Aquatics said it “understands that further infrastructure projects will be completed to significantly improve water quality in the Seine in the run-up to next year’s Olympic Games.”
“World Aquatics remains excited about the prospect of Olympic races in the city center for the world’s top open water swimmers next summer.”
The level of the Escherichia Coli bacteria exceeded acceptable limits, said a spokesman for the organizer of the Paris Olympic Committee.
“Despite the improvements observed over the past three days, this quality remained slightly below the level set by public health authorities and World Aquatics to protect swimmers’ health,” the organizers said in a statement.
Olympic open-water swimming has often been disrupted by pollution concerns, but Paris had promised to solve the problem.
Swimming in the Seine has been officially banned since 1923, but the construction of a 46,000 cubic meter water tank under a park in central Paris was intended as a partial solution.
It is designed to store excess rainfall and drastically reduce the amount of waste water flowing into the river.
Other river regeneration projects generating a £1.2 billion bill included water treatment plants on the outskirts of the city.