Paris Olympics Cancels Open Water Training Due to Seine Pollution Concerns

Paris Olympics organizers have canceled Tuesday’s open water swimming training session in the River Seine, citing elevated pollution levels. This decision, made after a similar cancellation on Monday, has raised questions about why triathletes were permitted to swim in the river just the day before. The cancellation marks the fifth instance since the Games began on July 28 that training in the Seine has been disrupted, leading to growing frustration among swimmers.

Persistent Pollution Issues

Despite a significant 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) investment to upgrade the Paris sewer system over the past decade, untreated wastewater continues to flow into the Seine during heavy rainstorms. This problem has led to multiple training cancellations. For instance, training sessions for the triathlon mixed relay race were also canceled over the weekend due to storms. Organizers and World Triathlon had previously approved Monday’s event, citing safe bacterial levels, though specific figures for E. coli and enterococci were not provided.

Ongoing Impact on Athletes

The canceled “familiarization session” scheduled for August 6, 2024, was attributed to high levels of enterococci, a type of bacteria associated with fecal contamination. Athletes have expressed frustration over the repeated cancellations, which have hindered their ability to practice in the Seine’s challenging currents. The river, flowing at two to three times its usual summer rate, is set to host the marathon swimming events on August 8 and 9.

Contingency Plans and Athlete Reactions

In response to the ongoing pollution issues, organizers have suggested that marathon swimming could be relocated to Vaires-sur-Marne on the River Marne, east of Paris, if the Seine remains too polluted. Despite these concerns, some athletes defended the use of the Seine, with German gold medalist Tim Hellwig noting that the majority of competitors did not experience issues. Organizers remain “very confident” that the scheduled marathon swimming events will proceed in the Seine.