Paris 2024 Olympics: Men’s swimming triathlon postponed due to Seine River pollution

New Delhi: The men’s swimming triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been postponed to Wednesday due to rising pollution levels in the River Seine. The Paris 2024 organising committee and World Triathlon body announced the postponement hours before the race was scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Heavy downpours in the French capital on Friday and Saturday had worsened the pollution in some areas of the river to levels “still above the acceptable limits”, a World Triathlon statement said.

Organisers had to cancel the Swimming Triathlon training on Sunday and Monday due to the pollution level.

The triathlon is the first Olympic event to be held in River Seine before marathon swimming, which is scheduled to be held in the second week of the Games.

The men’s individual triathlon was supposed to begin on Tuesday a day before the women’s event on Wednesday. With the men’s event pushed back a day to Wednesday, the women’s event is likely to happen on Thursday, provided the pollution level decreases in River Seine.

The water quality of the river depends on the amount of rain Paris and its surrounding areas receive.

Rain during the opening ceremony of the Games on Friday affected the city’s sewage system.

Despite the cancellation of training on successive days, the Paris 2024 organisers and World Triathlon were confident to stage the event starting on Tuesday. Though the weather has improved significantly in Paris, the pollution in the River Seine remains a concern.

If conditions don’t improve, the Paris 2024 organisers can delay the outdoor swimming events by several days.

In the worst-case scenario, the organisers will cancel the swimming leg of the triathlon and move the marathon swimming to Vaires-sur-Marne, on the Marne River east of Paris.

French authorities have invested billions of Euros over the last several years to clean up the Seine.

(With AFP Inputs)

Full Coverage of Paris Olympics 2024

Know All About Paris Olympics 2024 Players

 Paris 2024 Olympics: The men’s individual triathlon was supposed to begin on Tuesday a day before the women’s event on Wednesday  Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today