The Paralympic triathlon competitions in Paris that were set to take place on Sunday have been postponed due to concerns about the water quality in the Seine River following heavy rainfall. The event, consisting of 11 para triathlon races, has been rescheduled for Monday, pending favorable results from upcoming water testing, as announced by the Paris 2024 organizing committee and World Triathlon.
Rainstorms lashed the French capital over Friday and Saturday, causing wastewater and runoff to enter the river, resulting in elevated bacteria levels, including E. Coli. Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan explained to reporters that the decision to postpone the events was made as a precautionary measure due to the significant rainfall.
Originally planned to span two days, Sunday and Monday, the para triathlon events were condensed to Sunday because of the weather forecast. The delay in the competitions poses another obstacle to Paris’ efforts to enhance the river’s cleanliness for potential public swimming, a key commitment made ahead of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics this summer.
Rabadan expressed optimism that the Paralympic triathlons would proceed as planned on Monday, pending the test results, which will determine the viability of the event. Despite some athletes falling ill after participating in Olympic swimming events in the Seine, Lazreg Benel-Hadj, vice president of the French Swimming Federation, stated that none of the illnesses were connected to the river water.
Rabadan affirmed that sporting events in the river would continue beyond the Paralympics, citing athlete satisfaction and the anticipated improvement in water quality as reasons to uphold competitions in the river as a lasting legacy of the games.
