Olympic triathlon postponed by bacteria levels in Seine

Concerns about water quality in the Seine River led Paris Olympics organizers to postpone the men’s triathlon Tuesday, with officials hoping the swimming portion of the race will be able to go forward in the long-polluted waterway in the coming days following an expensive cleanup effort.

Organizers said they will try to hold the men’s triathlon Wednesday instead. The women’s competition also is scheduled that day, but both will only go forward if water tests show acceptable levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the river. Friday is also planned as a backup date.

If the river isn’t safe for swimming after delays, that part of the race would be scrapped and only the cycling and running portions would go forward. That happened last year at the European Championships when the triathlon format was switched because of water quality issues.

However, storms or rain are forecast Tuesday night through Thursday, which could complicate efforts to reschedule the events because rain generally causes bacteria levels in the Seine to rise.

Paris experienced a downpour during the Olympic opening ceremony Friday, with rain persisting into Saturday. The swimming portion of training events meant to let the triathletes familiarize themselves with the course was canceled on both Sunday and Monday because of concerns over water quality.

The delays come after Olympic organizers and city officials had expressed confidence in recent days that bacteria levels would improve as skies cleared and temperatures warmed this week, but that apparently wasn’t sufficient to ensure the athletes’ safety. The sun’s ultraviolet rays can kill the bacteria and lower levels, and Tuesday is hot and sunny.

Paris spent $1.5 billion to improve the water quality in the Seine so the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming event next week could be held in the famed river that runs through the city center. But bacteria levels have remained in flux.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo very publicly took a swim in the river two weeks ago, along with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet. Data released last week show that E. coli levels at the Bras Marie were at 985 units per 100 milliliters that day, slightly above the established threshold.



(AP Photo David Goldman)