Concerns over seine water quality cast doubt on olympic triathlon event
FRANCE-Although the rain that soaked Friday’s opening ceremony has left Paris, its effects can still be seen in the Seine, where worries over the quality of the water are causing anxiety for the triathlon race.
How safe is the seine for athletes?
When it was initially announced, there were those who objected to the idea of holding certain swimming competitions in the well-known river that divides Paris. Although it has been against the law to swim in the Seine for a century, the organizers devised a strategy to clean up the river so that the greatest athletes in the world may utilize it during Paris 2024 in an effort to highlight the host city.
It was a bold decision, considering Seine pollution usually spikes following heavy rains, as was the case in the French capital on Friday and for the whole of Saturday. Monday saw the second consecutive day of training canceled due to water quality tests finding the water unfit for participants. However, the race’s organizers are optimistic that everything will proceed according to plan.
Tuesday is the day for the men’s triathlon and Wednesday is the day for the women’s triathlon. For those races, the backup dates are set for Thursday and Friday, respectively. In a joint statement, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon stated that they were “confident that water quality will return to below limits before the start of the triathlon competitions on July 30” considering the weather prediction for the following 36 hours. This week, during the triathlon, the Paris region is expected to experience its first summer heat wave.
What are the current water quality issues?
For the next several days, both high and low temperatures are predicted to be significantly above average, prompting Meteo-France, the meteorological agency in France, to issue orange heat warnings for 39 distinct sites starting on Monday at noon local time. Over the next few days, lows in Paris and the surrounding area will rise to between 18 and 22°C (64 and 71°F). The triathlon is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, when highs will reach 34 to 36°C (93 to 97°F). Additionally, there is a risk of isolated thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday in the afternoon. However, there is sometimes a rise in pollution in the Seine following significant rainfall, especially in terms of E. coli levels. For that reason, Monday’s training in the Seine for impending triathlon competitions was canceled for the second day in a row. The water is dangerous according to the most recent tests, but with the men’s triathlon set for Tuesday and the women’s triathlon the following day, the organizers are hoping for better conditions. The events’ backup dates are Thursday and Friday, respectively. The river has received almost $1.5 billion in attempts to clean it up, and authorities have openly swum in it to support its state. In June, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo committed to build a pool in the Seine after the Games. A rainwater storage basin, which can retain more than 40 million gallons of precipitation and wastewater from hitting the river, was one of the changes made to the river for the Games, according to the city of Paris.
How are officials addressing pollution concerns?
According to aol, Officials at the Olympics are still optimistic about the triathlon competitions later this week. Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois told reporters on Monday, “We are confident we’re going to be able to hold the competition tomorrow and Wednesday and we still have a contingency plan that is in place for Friday just in case.” “As you could see there’s been quite a lot of rain in the last couple of days but we are monitoring very closely,” Thobois said in remarks at the daily press conference of the International Olympic Committee, adding that the outlook is getting better. Reiterating that all efforts have been made “to achieve the level of quality to swim in the River Seine,” Thobois. As per frontofficesport, When asked if the river’s current worries the authorities, Thobois responded that while “it’s been much higher than normally this time of year,” there are no problems. The individual triathlon races will consist of a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer cycle ride that passes by the Champs-Élysées and Le Grand Palais, and a 10-kilometer run through the center of the city.
Call to action: Boycott pairs olympics 2024
Pairs Olympics 2024 is starting from today but the environment is still unhygienic for both public and players. Nobody is concerned with the environment. Following the discovery that the captain of Japan’s women’s gymnastics team had broken national regulations by smoking and consuming alcohol, the government decided to withdraw another athlete from the games. Tickets are highly priced. No hotel rooms are available for the public. Oor sanitary system and drain pipes are open. The smell is completely unbearable so the public should boycott this event.
