The men’s triathlon event at the Paris Olympic Games—which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday—has been postponed by a day after the water quality in the river Seine did not meet the required standards, adding to months-long concerns about holding Olympic events in the polluted river.
Concerns about the water quality in the polluted Seine River has prompted authorities to postpone ... [+]
World Triathlon said the men’s event is now scheduled for Wednesday at 10:45 a.m. local time—just after the women’s event.
But Wednesday’s schedule is also subject to “forthcoming water tests complying with the established World Triathlon thresholds for swimming,” the statement added.
The sport’s governing body said the tests carried out in the Seine early on Tuesday “revealed water quality levels that did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held” and blamed the issue on last week’s rains—which impacted the opening ceremony.
The sport’s governing body said the tests carried out in the Seine early on Tuesday “revealed water quality levels that did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held” and blamed the issue on last week’s rains—which impacted the opening ceremony.
World Triathlon also noted that its original contingency plan of holding the event on Friday also remains in place as a backup.
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Citing the French national weather service, Meteo-France, the Associated Press reports that stormy weather and rain are forecast in Paris on Tuesday night, Wednesday afternoon and parts of Thursday. If the forecast is correct, the triathlon could see further disruption.
World Triathlon’s tests measure levels of fecal bacteria like E. coli and Enterococci in the river water. The governing body’s rules state that for inland water bodies like the Seine, E. coli levels cannot exceed 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters, while Enterococci levels cannot be higher than 330 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters.