Olympic Event In Seine River Cancelled Due To Poor Water-Quality, Days After Mayor Swam To Prove Its Cleanliness

It was just days ago we wrote that Paris’ mayor was going swimming in the Seine to dispel rumors that the water was too dirty for athletes to use.

How quickly the (sh*t filled) tide has turned. 

Questions about the Seine River’s water quality have persisted into the 2024 Olympics, leading to the cancellation of a pre-race triathlon event on Sunday, according to the New York Post.

Organizers scrapped the swimming leg after a meeting with World Triathlon and local authorities about water quality tests.

We noted weeks ago that swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century and since 2015, organizers have invested $1.5 billion to prepare the river for the Olympics and ensure a cleaner Seine for Parisians post-Games.

This plan included building a massive underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.

Originally planned for June, Hidalgo’s swim was delayed due to snap parliamentary elections. During that time, the hashtag “jechiedanslaSeine” (“I’m pooping in the Seine”) trended on social media as a protest against the Olympics.