Sena Pollution Forces Another Olympic Event Cancellation
The men's triathlon event at the Paris Olympics has been postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday because the water in the Seine is still not suitable for swimming, according to the organizers.
This announcement comes after heavy rains last Friday and Saturday worsened water quality levels, preventing the Sunday and Monday training sessions.
The men's event will now take place on Wednesday starting at 10:45 AM local time (08:45 GMT), after the women's event, which was already scheduled for 8:00 AM (6:00 GMT).
"The weather is good, the schedule allows it, there's no concern," said French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra on Monday afternoon about the possibility of a delay.
The minister added that the results of the latest water quality tests would be ready by 4:00 AM today (2:00 GMT). Even with a delay of the men's event, it was still "within the safety margin" to hold it, she emphasized.
"There has been continuous improvement since Sunday, and we hope to be within the authorized level for swimming," said Paris Deputy Mayor and Head of Sports Pierre Rabadan on Monday, regarding the water quality.
French authorities have invested 1.4 billion euros in recent years in infrastructure projects to improve the river's water quality, with plans for Parisians to be able to swim in several city locations starting next year.
The Seine will also host the Olympic marathon swimming event (10 kilometers) on August 8 for the women's event and a day later for the men's event.
A total of 56 athletes were scheduled to compete in the men's triathlon today, with the 1,500-meter swim starting from a floating pontoon near the historic Pont Alexandre III.
The draw for positions on the pontoon for the men's competition took place on Sunday, while the women's draw was on Monday.
