With only a month left before the Paris 2024 Olympics, concerns arise as the River Seine fails water quality tests, jeopardising plans for open-water swimming and triathlon events. Efforts to clean the river fall short, prompting public figures to pledge a swim to prove safety amidst protests and advocacy for alternative solutions.
One month before the Paris 2024 Olympics, the River Seine has been declared unsuitable for swimmers due to failing water quality tests. This river is planned to host the open-water swimming competition and the swimming leg of the triathlon. Despite a £1.2 billion effort to clean the river, recent tests revealed excessive levels of E. coli and enterococci bacteria, indicating unsafe conditions.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo pledged to swim in the Seine to demonstrate its safety. Meanwhile, local authorities installed toilets along the river to prevent public defecation, addressing a protest threatened by Parisians angered by the river’s condition.
The Surfrider Foundation, a water charity, found alarming levels of pollution in the Seine in tests conducted over six months. Olympic athlete Leah Crisp expressed concerns about water quality, hoping for an alternative plan. Organizers remain optimistic that dry weather in July will improve conditions. The Paris Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 26, 2024.
