Jordan Chiles’ Chance at Olympic Bronze Medal Compromised as Score is Reversed
Despite a budget of $1.53 billion set aside for cleaning up the perpetually polluted Seine, concerns arose in the months leading up to the Paris Games about the safety of holding swimming events 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 for the games, but issues have persisted since the Olympics began.
Swims for triathletes to acclimate to the Seine were canceled on July 29 due to poor water quality from runoff following heavy weekend rains that coincided with the July 26 Opening Ceremony.
The men’s triathlon was postponed and rescheduled for July 31 after high bacteria levels deemed the water unsafe for swimming.
Both triathlons took place on July 31, with tests indicating that water quality was “excellent” according to the European Union’s Bathing Water Directive.
Suspicions about water safety reemerged when two triathlon athletes withdrew from the mixed-relay event citing illnesses, though not definitively linked to swimming in the Seine.
The women’s and men’s 10km events are still set for August 8 and 9, but practice sessions were canceled on August 6 after high bacteria levels were detected once again.