There will be no swimming in the Seine on Sunday for the mixed relay triathlon test event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the organizers jointly announced, the results of the river water analyzes “not offering not provide the necessary guarantees for the proper performance of the swim test”.
“Faced with the persistence of discrepancies in the water quality analysis results, the decision was taken jointly to switch the mixed relay test event to a duathlon competition”, indicate in a joint press release the organizing committee, in particular, and the International Federation, World Triathlon, which had already opted for the same solution, namely only cycling and running, for the para-triathlon test event the day before.
Less than a year from the Olympic deadline, this is the third test event troubled by the quality of the river water in two weeks: earlier this month, the open water swimming event was canceled. In question then, like Saturday in the case of the para-triathlon, the concentration of Escherichia Coli bacteria (E. coli). “The laboratory sample had a slightly higher rate” than the level allowed by the regulations of World Triathlon, said Saturday the sports deputy of the town hall of Paris, Pierre Rabadan during a press point. “It was slightly above 1,000 (UFC per 100 ml)”, he further explained. In any case, there is no question of a plan B in a year for the Games, repeated Tony Estanguet on Saturday: “There is no solution for moving the event. The triathlon and open water swimming will take place in the Seine next year”.
