Paris Olympics 2024: Triathlon could become a duathlon due to Seine’s water quality - Reports
The Paris Games organizers are considering changing the triathlon to a duathlon due to concerns about pollution affecting the Seine River's water quality, according to swimswam.com. Seine River is scheduled to host Olympic and Paralympic open water and triathlon events.
Heavy rain has exacerbated the issue, leading to potential safety risks for athletes participating in open-water swimming events. Efforts to clean up the river have been ongoing, but if conditions do not improve, the triathlon may be reduced to just cycling and running or have its dates postponed.
Concerns about pollution levels in the Seine River pose a significant challenge for officials as they work to ensure the safety of athletes during the Paris Olympics 2024.
No alternative locations if the Seine is not safe for the athletes
Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Olympics 2024 organizing committee expressed concerns about the potential impact of heavy rain on the water quality of the Seine River, which could lead to dangerous pollution levels.
“We change the date and postpone from one day to three days until it’s ok. And there is a final decision where we could not swim — it’s part of the rules of the international federation. It’s what we want to avoid, of course. But there’s a risk. There’s always a risk,” Estanguet said as quoted by Swim Swam News.
He mentioned that if the water quality is compromised, the organizers may consider turning the Olympic triathlon into a duathlon, eliminating the swimming leg of the event. Estanguet also emphasized the importance of addressing the risks and challenges posed by the river's water quality to ensure the safety of the athletes.
The Paris Olympics 2024 organizers have already spent over a billion euros to speed up the cleaning process of Seine. This is the first time that someone from the organizing committee has come forward to raise this issue.
The individual triathlon races will take place on July 30 and 31, while the mixed relay is scheduled for August 5. The Triathlon International Federation’s rules allow for the event to be reduced to only cycling and running if necessary.
Paris’ sewer system contains both rainwater and wastewater. In storms, everything is released into the Seine. The organizers addressed this issue long ago and built an underground storage tank. It was connected to a tunnel that holds up to 13.2 million gallons of water. But due to severe rain, the chances of the tank getting completely filled are very high.