Verena Steinhauser, triathlete from South Tyrol. © @by_wout

Verena Steinhauser has to wait longer

Before the triathlon at the Olympic Games in Paris, the second swimming training session in the Seine was also cancelled due to poor water quality. This increases doubts as to whether competitions at these summer games can take place as planned in the river running through the French capital.

July 29, 2024

From: apa/cst

However, the organizers are currently sticking to this plan and are optimistic. The tests carried out on Sunday did not provide the guarantees required by the World Triathlon Association that the water would be sufficiently clean to allow swimming, they said in a statement. This is due to the rain that fell on Friday and Saturday. The health of the athletes is a priority.

With regard to the weather forecast, the Olympic Organising Committee and the World Federation were "confident" that the water quality would be back within the limits before the start of the triathlon competitions, they said. Overall, the water quality of the Seine improved significantly in July.

The water quality in the Seine is not good enough to swim in. © APA/afp / LIONEL BONAVENTURE

The men's individual triathlon is planned for Tuesday, followed by the women's one day later, where South Tyrolean Verena Steinhauser will also be competing. The mixed relay is scheduled for August 5. In addition to the triathletes, the open water swimmers will also be competing in the Seine. The rowing regatta course is planned as an alternative for them.

Doubts about water quality in the Seine

For a long time, there was debate in Paris about whether the quality of the water in the Seine was really good enough for competitions to take place there. In recent years, 1,4 billion euros were invested in sewage treatment plants and the sewage system in the greater Paris area to improve water quality. One of the measures now being taken is to prevent toilet wastewater from entering the river along with the water masses during heavy rain.

However, during checks carried out in recent months, the water quality left much to be desired. The city attributed this to the unusually humid weather and low temperatures. This is because higher temperatures and a lower water level in the Seine mean that pathogens are broken down more quickly.