The Paris 2024 Paralympics organizers have made the difficult decision to postpone the triathlon by a day, citing concerns about the water quality of the Seine River.
Heavy rainfall over the past two days has resulted in a decline in the Seine’s water quality, prompting organizers to reschedule the 11 medal sessions for September 2nd. This decision was made following a meeting between World Triathlon, the Paris 2024 organizers, and relevant French authorities. Originally, the triathlon was scheduled to take place over two days, September 1st and 2nd.
This issue isn’t new, as it has also disrupted the Olympic triathlon and open-water swimming events. Several practice sessions were canceled due to high levels of pollution caused by the heavy rainfall. Of the 11 days of events and training scheduled in the Seine during the Olympics, only five were ultimately approved.
Despite a significant 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) investment to upgrade Paris’ sewerage and water treatment system, the Seine continues to face pollution concerns, particularly regarding levels of enterococci and E.coli bacteria. This ongoing issue underscores the challenges in ensuring safe and healthy water conditions for athletes competing in the heart of Paris.
