Olympics Men’s Triathlon Postponed Due to Seine Pollution
The men’s triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been postponed by 24 hours due to unexpected water pollution in the River Seine. Just hours before the race was set to start on Tuesday, last-minute water quality tests revealed unsafe levels of pollution, prompting organizers to delay the event.
Paris 2024 and World Triathlon officials announced that the men’s triathlon will now take place on Wednesday, immediately following the women’s race. This decision came after heavy rain over the weekend caused significant contamination in the Seine.
The organisers cited concerns for athlete health as the primary reason for the delay. A joint statement explained, “Tests revealed water quality levels that did not meet safety standards, necessitating a rescheduling for health reasons.”
Heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday had already led to the cancellation of training sessions in the Seine. Despite sunny conditions in Paris this week that were expected to improve water quality, the pollution levels remained too high.
French authorities have invested €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) in cleaning the Seine over the past decade, yet recent downpours overwhelmed the city’s drainage system, resulting in untreated sewage entering the river.
The triathlon, the first Olympic event to use the Seine, is a critical test before the marathon swimming event scheduled for the Games’ second week. Organizers remain hopeful that improvements will allow the subsequent events to proceed as planned.
