Olympic men’s triathlon postponed due to river pollution

The men’s triathlon lawsuit astatine the Paris Olympics was postponed contiguous due to the fact that of contamination levels successful the Seine river, wherever the swimming limb of the lawsuit was expected to beryllium held. Now the lawsuit is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday — if the h2o prime improves by then.

Bacteria successful the river, including E. coli, person been a interest starring up to the Summer games. Paris spent astir $1.5 billion connected cleanup efforts earlier the Olympics to forestall sewage and wastewater from contaminating the Seine, the Associated Press reports. But rainfall seems to person stymied efforts to support bacteria astatine harmless levels.

“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their precedence is the wellness of the athletes. The tests carried retired successful the Seine contiguous revealed h2o prime levels that did not supply capable guarantees to let the lawsuit to beryllium held,” World Triathlon, the sport’s planetary governing body, said successful a statement today.

Human fecal contamination is “the astir important hazard factor” successful triathlon competitions, according to World Triathlon. Swimming successful h2o contaminated with feces tin perchance pb to tegument rashes, diarrhea, and E. coli infections. And athletes tin beryllium much prone to corruption during oregon close aft the lawsuit owed to hormonal accent and different factors that mightiness impact the immune system.

E. coli levels should enactment astatine oregon beneath 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters for “sufficient” h2o quality, according to World Triathlon. Only 1 of 4 trial sites on the Seine showed levels beneath that limit, the Associated Press reports.

Training events had already been postponed with elevated bacteria levels pursuing the downpour implicit the Olympics opening ceremony. Heavy rainfall tin overwhelm sewage and wastewater systems, allowing untreated h2o to scope the river.

There’s much rainfall successful the forecast for Paris tonight. But for now, some the women’s and the men’s triathlon events are scheduled for Wednesday astatine 8:00 and 10:45AM section time, respectively. There’s besides a backup day of August 2nd.