The Paris 2024 Olympics have faced ongoing challenges with the quality of the River Seine, which has impacted open water training and competition schedules.
On Tuesday, organizers announced that training for open water swimming in the Seine had been canceled due to pollution concerns. This decision marks the fifth time that training sessions in the river have been scrapped since the start of the Games on July 28, raising concerns among athletes who need to familiarize themselves with the Seine’s strong currents.
The cancellation was prompted by a water test that revealed one of four samples had enterococci bacteria levels above the authorized limit. Enterococci are used as an indicator of fecal contamination. In response, World Aquatics and the organizing committee decided to cancel the training session as a precautionary measure. The decision came just a day after triathletes were allowed to train in the Seine, leading to questions about why one group was permitted access while another was denied.
The French authorities have been under pressure to improve the water quality of the Seine, which was selected for the triathlon and marathon swimming events. The triathlon event last week experienced significant disruptions due to bacterial contamination, resulting in the postponement of the men’s individual race and the cancellation of all swim training sessions. Despite these issues, the mixed relay race proceeded on schedule, with Germany winning gold in a tightly contested event.
Marathon swimming, a 10-kilometer race, is scheduled for August 8 for women and August 9 for men. The organizing committee has suggested that the differing decisions for triathlon and marathon swimming are due to the involvement of separate governing bodies: World Triathlon and World Aquatics. World Triathlon approved the race based on improving bacteria levels, while World Aquatics decided to cancel training to avoid potential health risks.
Some athletes have expressed frustration over the repeated cancellations and the uncertainty surrounding their events. The Belgian team faced issues when their athlete Claire Michel fell ill after swimming in the Seine, though she clarified that her illness was not due to E. coli. Both Swiss and Norwegian teams also reported stomach issues, but they did not directly attribute them to the water quality.
Despite these concerns, some athletes, including German triathlete Tim Hellwig, defended the use of the Seine, noting that many competitors have experience swimming in worse conditions. Organizers remain optimistic, stating they are prepared to move the marathon swimming events to the River Marne if necessary and are “very confident” that both men’s and women’s events will take place in the Seine.
