Possibly the most well-known river in the world, the Seine has enthralled tourists since before the Middle Ages. But is the same true of its current state? The water was excessively contaminated last August, which led to the cancellation of the open-water swimming trials for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Why? E. coli readings exceeded by 6X the limit set by World Aquatics.

Now, the triathlon and para-triathlon need to be scheduled, which once again puts strain on Paris officials, leaving them scratching their heads over the lack of a backup plan.

Paris Olympics preps seem lacking behind

Seine was declared biologically dead in the 1960s and remained unalive until floods threatened to pour brown mud water over the cobblestone walkways of Paris. Water treatment innovations have been beneficial. However, since 1923, swimming has been prohibited by law, given the contamination levels, reported Islander News. Nevertheless, the city of Paris recently stated that “there is no plan B” to host open-water swimming events elsewhere in Paris.

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While city authorities claim that the water quality has improved, no sample taken between June and September of 2023 fulfilled the basic requirements set by Europe for swimming-safe water. When a lot of rain falls and washes trash and raw sewage into rivers from overflowing drains and sewers, the amount of bacteria in the water grows rapidly. The city tested the water at fourteen locations. Three of these had “sufficient” water quality in 2022, but by last summer, things had changed. Due to excessive rain, E. Coli readings in August exceeded the World Aquatics limit threshold by six times, forcing the cancellation.

The men’s and women’s races will start at the famous Pont Alexandre-III, cover a 10-kilometer course, with 1 km along the river, passing other well-known landmarks such as the Grand Palais and the Musée d’Orsay. The Invalides and the Eiffel Tower will serve as the backdrop of the route. Before turning around, it crosses the more understated Pont d’Alma and the recently refurbished Paris Sewer Museum. Triathlon swimmers will turn around sooner and swim shorter distances, capturing the essence of Paris’s splendor.

Past promises and future plans

The show of Paris could hold a significant political stir: although swimming has been prohibited in the Seine since 1923, several mayors of Paris have pledged to reinstate it. As a mayor, Jacques Chirac had declared that the river would “soon” be clean enough to swim in and that he would celebrate by swimming in 1990. His commitment came before he was elected president of France, but it never happened.

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As a staunch advocate of natural initiatives, the current mayor, Anne Hidalgo, declared that public swimming would be permitted at three locations by 2025. However, given the current situation, it remains to be seen what the backplan is for the Olympics.

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