Paris 2024 Olympics: City’s ‘excrement’ problem could lead to cancellation of open water swimming competitions | Explainers – Sports News

Paris 2024 Olympic Games: As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games approach, set to kick off on July 26, the City of Lights is facing a “poop” problem. The problem is so serious that it could lead to the cancellation or postponement of open water swimming events on the Olympic calendar this year! We take a look at the problem to find out what’s going on and what Parisian authorities are doing about it.

As part of its bold bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, Paris has promised to clean up its famous Seine River to host open-water swimming events including the triathlon, paratriathlon and marathon swim. Swimming in the Seine has been banned for nearly 100 years due to pollution, with the city’s sewer system often dumping sewage into the river during heavy rain. This causes spikes in E. coli levels, making the water unsafe for swimming.

E. coli is a bacterium found in the intestines of humans and warm-blooded animals. Its presence in a drinking water sample usually indicates recent fecal contamination, which can cause serious illness.

Despite this ambitious promise, challenges remain. Last year, several test events were canceled due to high levels of E. coli. Now, with the first Olympic event in the Seine scheduled for July 30, concerns remain that contamination levels are still high. According to a report in Forbes, officials have warned that the swimming events could be postponed, canceled, or moved if water quality does not improve.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, in an effort to boost public confidence, have pledged to be the first to swim in the Seine. Although their first swim was scheduled for June 23, it has been postponed until mid-July; in this case, it is France’s political climate that is to blame rather than the quality of the Seine’s water.

The Parisian plan to clean the Seine

To honor their commitment, Parisian authorities have launched a $1.5 billion infrastructure project. This massive project includes the construction of an underground reservoir and a system of tunnels to hold excess wastewater in the event of heavy rain, thereby reducing contamination of the Seine. It is important to note that this measure will not clean the river, but will protect it from further contamination in the event of heavy rain during the Olympics.

Daily water quality checks will be carried out until the Olympics. While the city’s ambitious plan is on track, the success of hosting the swimming events in the Seine will ultimately depend on weather conditions.

The open water swimming portion of the triathlon will take place on July 30, 31 and August 5. In order to take place, water tests must be conducted within 48 hours of each competition to ensure safety.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Paris City Hall recently announced that the Seine River had been clean enough for swimming for most of the past 12 days. Pierre Rabadan, a city hall official, said the water quality had met required standards for “11 or 10 days” out of the past 12, France 24 reported.

If the trend continues and weather conditions remain favourable, the Seine will not only host the swimming events but will also play a central role in the opening ceremony of the Games on 26 July.

If Paris is determined to keep its promise, the coming days will be crucial as the city races against time to ensure the river is safe for swimming.