Paris Olympics: Triathlon swim practice cancelled again - what happens if water quality doesn't improve in River Seine?

ByJames Walker-Roberts

Updated 29/07/2024 at 14:14 GMT+1

Will the triathlon event at the Paris Olympic Games go ahead as planned? And what happens if water quality in the River Seine means the event can't take place on its scheduled days? Swimming training for the triathlon was cancelled again on Monday, just 24 hours before the planned start of the men's race. The women's race is set to take place on Wednesday, but the water quality remains an issue.

Swimming training for the triathlon at the Paris Olympics has been cancelled for a second successive day due to pollution in the River Seine, throwing the planned start of the event on Tuesday into doubt.

Sunday's 'familiarisation' session for triathletes was called off because of the water quality in the river.

Monday’s practice session was also cancelled for the same reason, with organisers saying the “health of the athletes” is their priority.

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The men’s triathlon is set to start at 8am on Tuesday, July 30, with the women’s race on July 31.

A Paris 2024 and World Triathlon statement said: "Following a meeting on water quality held this morning (Monday) … a joint decision was taken to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarisation which was due to be held on 29 July at 8am.

“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterates that the priority is the health of the athletes. The tests carried out in the Seine yesterday (Sunday) revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held.

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"Given the weather forecast for the next 36 hours, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon are confident that water quality will return to below limits before the start of the triathlon competitions on 30 July."

The triathlon event at the Games will be the first time athletes have competed in the River Seine at an Olympics since 1900.

But heavy rainfall ahead of the competition has seen the water quality decline.

The statement added: “As observed in July, with summer conditions (more sunshine, higher temperatures, prolonged absence of rain) water quality in the Seine has improved significantly."

What happens if water quality doesn’t improve?

If the water quality in the River Seine does not meet the required standard on race day then there are contingency days.

The contingency day for the individual races is on Friday, August 2 and the contingency day for the mixed team relay is Tuesday, August 6, one day after the planned start date.

If the water quality remains an issue then the swimming part of the triathlon will be scrapped and it will be changed to a duathlon, with the swimming replaced by another run – so the format would be run, bike, run.

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A decision will be made on the morning of each scheduled race day whether the river is safe to swim in.

There are also open water swimming events due to take place in the River Seine.

They could be relocated to the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium if the water quality does not improve.

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Will the triathlon proceed with swimming in the River Seine?

Etienne Thobois, Paris 2024 CEO, is hoping that warmer and drier weather will make it possible to run the event as planned.

"As far as we are concerned, we are still confident to be able to hold a competition tomorrow," he said.

"There's been quite a lot of rain including during the opening ceremony in the last couple of days. But we're monitoring very closely, the level of the Seine is going down rapidly. The weather forecast is bright and shiny, especially for today, it's going to be hot.

"So we're confident that we will be able to hold."

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