2024 Olympic Controversies Cast a Shadow on the Paris Competition
Despite $1.53 billion being allocated for cleaning up the consistently polluted Seine, concerns arose in the months leading up to the Paris Games about the safety of holding the swimming portion of the triathlons and the 10,000-meter marathons in the river.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a swim on July 17 and declared that France’s most famous body of water was ready—but issues have persisted since the start of the Olympics.
Swimming sessions for triathletes to acclimate to the Seine were called off on Monday, July 29, due to poor water quality from weekend runoff after heavy rains (that notably began during the July 26 Opening Ceremony).
The men’s triathlon was postponed and rescheduled for July 31 after officials determined that bacteria levels were too high for a safe swim.
Both triathlons took place on July 31, with tests showing low levels of E. coli and intestinal enterococci, meeting the “excellent quality” standard set by the European Union’s Bathing Water Directive.
Concerns about water safety resurfaced when two triathlon athletes withdrew from the mixed-relay event, citing illnesses (not definitively linked to swimming in the Seine).
The women’s and men’s 10,000 meters are still set for August 8 and 9, but practices were canceled on August 6 due to elevated bacteria levels once again.