Seine River contamination forces Olympic triathlon training cancellations

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

OLYMPIC TRIATHLON TRAINING SESSIONS – SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN PARIS’ FAMED SEINE RIVER SUNDAY AND MONDAY – WERE BOTH CANCELED OVER WATER CONTAMINATION LEVELS. 

THIS – LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER PARIS’ MAYOR ANNE HIDALGO WENT FOR A SWIM IN THE LONG-POLLUTED WATER WAY – IN AN EFFORT TO PROVE THE WATER WAS CLEAN ENOUGH FOR THE UPCOMING OLYMPIC GAMES. 

OLYMPIC ORGANIZERS SAY RECENT HEAVY RAINS – WHICH ALSO AFFECTED FRIDAY NIGHT’S OPENING CEREMONIES – RAISED THE SEINE’S E.COLI LEVELS – MAKING THE WATER UNSAFE FOR SWIMMERS.

RIGHT NOW – THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE LESS THAN 24 HOURS FROM THE FIRST SWIMMING EVENT WHICH IS THE SWIMMING LEG OF THE MEN’S TRIATHLON – SET TO TAKE PLACE IN THE SEINE TUESDAY.

THE WOMEN’S TRIATHLON IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY WITH THE MIXED RELAY PLANNED FOR AUGUST 5.

PARIS ORGANIZERS SAID THEY’RE “CONFIDENT THAT WATER QUALITY WILL RETURN TO BELOW LIMITS BEFORE THE START OF THE TRIATHLON COMPETITIONS” AND THAT THE EVENTS WILL GO ON, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO BE DELAYED BY A DAY OR TWO.

THE PARIS OLYMPICS CHIEF TOLD CBS NEWS THAT IF THE SEINE’S WATER QUALITY DOES NOT IMPROVE – THEN THE SWIMMING STAGE OF THE TRIATHLON CAN BE “DROPPED” AND THEN THE EVENT WOULD BE A “BIATHLON” – WHICH IS NOT AN OFFICIAL OLYMPICS SPORT.

THE CITY OF PARIS HAS SPENT MORE THAN $1.5 BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE LAST DECADE CLEANING POLLUTION FROM THE SEINE RIVER.