PARIS (AP) — Olympic organizers are counting on sunshine and scorching temperatures to improve the water quality of the Seine River enough for triathletes to swim in it.
Otherwise, they might feel the heat.
Concerns about the cleanliness of the Paris river The men’s triathlon was postponed Tuesday, with officials hoping the swim portion of the race could soon be held in the long-polluted waterway after a costly cleanup effort.
Organizers said they would try to hold the men’s triathlon on Wednesday instead. The women’s competition is also scheduled for that day, but both will only go ahead if water tests show acceptable results. levels of E. coli and other bacteriaFriday is also planned as a backup date.
However, thunderstorms or rain are forecast for the night from Tuesday to Thursday, which could complicate the rescheduling because rain generally causes an increase in the bacteria level in the Seine.
“It’s disappointing to see this postponement have a negative impact,” said American triathlete Seth Rider. “But I hope we can have a triathlon and I can fulfill this dream that I’ve had since I was a little kid.”
Paris 2024 sports director Aurélie Merle told reporters on Tuesday that water samples were taken 21-1/2 hours before decisions about the swim were made, leaving uncertainty over their accuracy on race day.
Paris has spent €1.4 billion to improve the water quality of the Seine so that the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swim can take place next week in the famous river that runs through the city centre. But bacteria levels remain variable.
Organizers were asked if they put the aesthetics of the triathlon before the best interests of the athletes.
“We live in the 21st century and unfortunately there are many more weather events that are beyond the control of the organizers,” Merle said. “We’ve seen that we go from heavy rain to extreme heat like today in a matter of days. So it’s hard to control the impact that can have on the quality of a river.”
Paris experienced a downpour during the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony Fridayrain persisting through Saturday. The swim portion of the training events intended to allow triathletes to familiarize themselves with the course was canceled Sunday and Monday due to concerns about water quality.
Organizers had expressed his confidence In recent days, it was thought that bacteria levels would improve as skies cleared and temperatures warmed this week, but that apparently wasn’t enough to keep athletes safe. The sun’s ultraviolet rays can kill bacteria and reduce levels, and The start of the week was warm and sunny.
The sport’s governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team, the IOC and city officials met early Tuesday and decided to postpone the event.
“Despite the improvement in water quality in recent hours, the values measured at some points along the swimming course are still above acceptable limits,” the organizers said, stressing that their “priority is the health of the athletes.”
“The trend is improving,” said Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris, but “we are not yet below the necessary threshold.” He did not rule out further delays “if a problem arises tomorrow after the results of the analyses.”
Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal E. coli bacteria. water safety instructions and a European Union of 2006 directive give a range of E. coli levels from “excellent” to “adequate.” Anything above 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters is not considered safe or “adequate.”
But experts stress that these figures are only guidelines used to assess risks.
“There’s nothing magical about the number 900,” said Dr. Nicole Iovine, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Florida.
One of the four testing sites was below the threshold for E. coli on Tuesday, Paris 2024’s Merle said. Two other sites were just above the limit and one was higher, she said, citing a range of 980 to 1,553.
High levels of E. coli in water may indicate sewage contamination. Most strains are harmless, and some live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. But others can be dangerous. Just a sip of contaminated water can cause diarrhea, and the germ can cause illnesses such as urinary tract or intestinal infections.
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris swam very publicly in the river two weeks ago, in the company of the president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, Tony Estanguet. Data released last week shows that E. coli levels at Bras Marie were 985 units per 100 milliliters that day, slightly above the threshold.
The men’s triathlon is now scheduled to start at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, which could make the heat more significant as the event finishes in the hottest part of the day. World Triathlon plans to provide water and ice stations along the course for athletes. The women’s race is set to start at 8 a.m. as originally scheduled.
If the river is no longer safe for swimming after delays, that part of the race will be cancelled and only the cycling and running events will take place. This is what happened last year at the European Championships when the triathlon format was changed due to water quality concerns.
“It’s just another competitive situation,” said World Triathlon president Marisol Casado, pushing back against the idea that a change would be unfair to triathletes who excel in the water.
Other swimming events are planned in the Seine: the mixed triathlon relay on Monday and the women’s and men’s marathon swimming events on August 8 and 9. The marathon swimming could be relocated, if necessary, to the Stade nautique de Vaires-sur-Marne, in the Paris region, which already hosts rowing and canoeing competitions and can accommodate up to 15,000 spectators.
But it is a logistical challenge for the triathlon to change the swim location given that routes are already established for the bike and run.
“We’re understanding,” Merle said. “Let’s see how it goes.”
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AP journalists Barbara Surk in Nice and Devna Bose in Jackson, Miss., contributed to this report.
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