Organisers will decide on Wednesday at 4:am (0200 GMT) if Paris Olympics’ triathlon competitions can go ahead later in the day after the men’s event was postponed on Tuesday due to pollution levels in the Seine.
France has invested heavily to make the Seine swimmable as a key legacy of the Games, and spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.51 billion) on wastewater infrastructure to contain sewage and minimise spillage into the waterway.
But the gamble that the river would be clean enough on the day of the triathlon was never guaranteed to pay off, especially as water quality varies widely day-to-day.
Tuesday’s men’s race was postponed until Wednesday at 10:45 a.m. local time (0845 GMT), immediately after the women’s event, which is scheduled for 8 a.m. that day.
The decision whether it can indeed go ahead on Wednesday will be made using a sample taken on Tuesday at 5:am, Paris 2024 organisers said, as well as a discussion between experts on overnight weather.
Tuesday’s sample results are expected to be good because of a sunny, dry weather that day, but storms are forecast overnight. Key to the final decision will be the flow of the river, Paris 2024 said.
A World Triathlon spokesperson said other contingency dates as well as Friday were being explored, in case the race cannot go ahead on Wednesday.
Elements taken into account include previous weather, weather forecast, and a medical official also does a sanitary inspection of the water, the spokesperson added.
