Paris 2024 Triathlon postponed due to Seine pollution

The 2024 Paris Olympics men’s triathlon has been postponed for the second day in a row due to the poor quality of the water in the River Seine, the World Triathlon announced on Monday.

Heavy rains over the weekend worsened conditions, and tests revealed that water contamination exceeded acceptable limits, making it unsafe for athletes to compete.

Meanwhile, the women’s triathlon remains scheduled for Wednesday, with a contingency date for Friday if water quality does not improve.

Despite a $1.5 billion cleanup project and new infrastructure designed to manage rainwater, recent tests showed that the E. coli bacteria levels in the Seine River were above the 1000 CFU/100ml limit.

E.coli is commonly found in the intestines of healthy humans and animals and is harmless, but certain strains of the bacteria can cause serious health issues.