Paris 2024 Olympic Triathlons Held Amid Water Quality Concerns

The River Seine's water quality continues to pose challenges for the Paris 2024 Olympics, with recent heavy rains leading to the cancellation of triathlon training due to pollution concerns. Despite significant investments of 1.4 billion euros to clean the river, the city struggles with sewage overflow during heavy downpours, raising questions about athlete safety amidst elevated E. coli levels. Although the men's triathlon was postponed before officials declared the water safe for competition, incidents like Canadian athlete Tyler Mislawchuk's post-race illness have fueled skepticism regarding the water's cleanliness. Athletes expressed mixed feelings, with some acknowledging the historical pollution issues while others, like Belgian triathlete Jolien Vermeylen, voiced strong concerns over the necessity of swimming in the Seine. As the games proceed, organizers maintain daily testing of the water to ensure safety, though doubts from participants and spectators linger regarding the river's long-standing contamination problems.