Sep 1, 2024 - Sports

Paris mayor says swimming in Seine will be Games' "legacy"

Rebecca Falconer

This photograph taken on September 1, 2024, shows the Seine river from the Alexandre III bridge, after the cancellation of the para-triathlon competition during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. — A view of the Seine River from the Alexandre III bridge on Sunday, after the cancellation of the para-triathlon competition during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images

Paralympic Games triathlon events in Paris' Seine River were postponed Sunday for a day due to water quality concerns, organizers announced.

Why it matters: Organizers increased efforts to get the French capital's river clean and safe for swimming so it could play a central role in the Olympics and Paralympics after decades of pollution, but both events have now seen postponements due to water quality concerns.

Driving the news: "The latest tests show a decrease in water quality in the river following the rain episodes over the last two days," per a Sunday morning blog post by the International Paralympic Committee.

As a result, the water quality at the competition venue was deemed unsuitable for swimming, so the panel said all 11 para triathlon medal events would take place on Monday.

What they're saying: Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan told reporters that athletics competition would continue in the river after the Games had finished and there were "so many reasons for that," per AP.

"First one because athletes are happy with that, and second one because the quality of water will permit it in the future," he added.
"So we will keep going on that way. And that's a massive legacy of the games."

Flashback: Paris mayor swims in the Seine ahead of Olympics Games

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Paris mayor says swimming in Seine will be Games' "legacy"

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