(PARIS) — Olympic organizers are banking on sunshine and scorching temperatures to improve the Seine River’s water quality enough for triathletes to swim in it.
Otherwise, they could be feeling the heat.
Concerns over the cleanliness of the Paris River postponed the men’s triathlon on Tuesday, with authorities hoping the swimming portion of the race could soon go ahead in the long-polluted canal after a costly clean-up effort.
Organizers said they will attempt to hold the men’s triathlon on Wednesday. The women’s competition is also scheduled for that day, but both will only take place if water tests show acceptable levels of E. coli and other bacteria. Friday is also planned as a backup date.
However, thunderstorms or rain are forecast from Tuesday night through Thursday, which could complicate rescheduling because rain often causes bacteria levels in the Seine to rise.
“It’s disappointing that there is now this negative aspect with the delay,” said American triathlete Seth Rider. “But I hope we can have a triathlon and that I can fulfill this dream I’ve had since I was a kid.”
See more information: Inside the Billion-Dollar Effort to Clean the World’s Most Romantic River
Aurélie Merle, Paris 2024 sports director, told reporters on Tuesday that water samples are taken 21 and a half hours before decisions about swimming are made, leaving uncertainty about their accuracy on race day.
Paris spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to improve water quality in the Seine so that the swimming portion of the triathlon and next week’s swimming marathon could be held in the famous river that crosses the city center. But bacteria levels remained in flux.
Organizers were asked whether they put the aesthetics of the triathlon above the interests of the athletes.
“We are living in the 21st century where, unfortunately, many more weather events occur that are beyond the control of organizers,” Merle said. “We saw that we went from heavy rain to extreme heat like today in just a few days. So it’s really difficult to control how this can affect the quality of a river.”
Paris suffered torrential rain during the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, with the rain persisting until Saturday. The portion of swim training intended to allow triathletes to familiarize themselves with the course was canceled on Sunday and Monday due to concerns about water quality.
Organizers had expressed confidence in recent days that bacteria levels would improve as skies cleared and temperatures rose this week, but that was apparently not enough to ensure athletes’ safety. The sun’s UV rays can kill bacteria and reduce levels, and the start of the week was warm and sunny.
The sport’s governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team, the IOC and city officials met on Tuesday and decided to postpone.
See more information: How dangerous is the Seine for Olympic athletes?
Rider, the triathlete, was running at 4am when the delay was announced. A fellow triathlete was also running and waved to him.
“We had a little chat in the dark, at 4 in the morning, in the middle of the street, with no one around,” said Rider. “I just went back to the room and went back to bed.”
Paris deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan said “the trend is improving” but did not rule out further delays “if there is a problem tomorrow, following the results of the analysis.”
Daily water quality tests measure levels of the fecal bacteria E. coli. World Triathlon water safety guidelines and a 2006 European Union directive provide a range of E. coli levels from “excellent” to “sufficient.” Anything beyond 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters is not considered safe or “sufficient.”
But experts stressed that these numbers are simply guidelines used to assess risk. “There’s nothing magical about 900,” said Dr. Nicole Iovine, an infectious disease expert at the University of Florida.
One of the four testing sites was below the limit for E. coli on Tuesday, Paris 2024’s Merle said. Two other sites were just above the limit and one was higher, she said, citing a range of 980 to 1,553.
High levels of E. coli in water may indicate sewage contamination. Most strains are harmless and some live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. But others can be dangerous. Even a sip of contaminated water can cause diarrhea, and the germ can cause illnesses such as urinary tract or intestinal infections.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo publicly swam in the river two weeks ago, along with Paris 2024 boss Tony Estanguet. Data released last week shows E. coli levels in Bras Marie were at 985 units per 100 milliliters that day, slightly above the limit.
The men’s triathlon is now scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, which could make heat an even more important factor as the race ends at the hottest time of the day. World Triathlon is planning to provide ice and water stations along the route for athletes. The women’s race is scheduled to take place at 8am as originally planned.
If the river is not safe for swimming following delays, that portion of the race would be canceled and only the cycling and running portions would be postponed. This happened last year at the European Championships when the triathlon format was changed due to water quality issues.
“It’s just another situation in the competition,” said World Triathlon president Marisol Casado, resisting the idea that a change would be unfair to triathletes who excel in the water.
Other swimming events planned in the Seine are the mixed triathlon relay on Monday and the women’s and men’s marathon swimming events on the 8th and 9th of August. The swimming marathon can be moved, if necessary, to the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, in the greater Paris region, which already hosts rowing and canoeing competitions and can accommodate up to 15,000 spectators.
But it’s a logistical challenge for the triathlon to change swimming locations, since the routes are already set up for cycling and running.
“We are supportive,” Merle said. “Let’s see how it goes.”
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AP writers Barbara Surk in Nice and Devna Bose in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
