MOSCOW: The open water swimming competition for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will not take place in the Seine River, reported Sputnik.
Olympic referee Alexey Kalinin announced on Sunday that referees are now awaiting a decision on whether the competition's start will be delayed.
On Saturday, the Paris Olympics organisers cancelled triathlon familiarisation session due to poor water quality in the river.
"We are waiting for a decision on whether the relays with swimming will be held tomorrow, or whether they will be postponed to August 6, when the start will be held anyway in a triathlon or duathlon format. In our opinion, the open water swimming competition will definitely not be held in the Seine," Kalinin said on Telegram.
The women's 10 km (6.2 miles) race is scheduled for August 8. The men will swim the distance the following day.
On Wednesday, the women’s and the men’s triathlons were held in Paris, despite the cancellation of training familiarisation sessions and the postponement of the men's event due to poor water quality.
A number of triathletes have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Paris Olympics, saying that the organisers did not consider the health of the athletes. Several athletes became ill during or after the competition on Wednesday. Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk became sick and threw up live right after crossing the finish line. French triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand, who won gold in the event, said that she "smelled and saw things that we shouldn't think about too much" during the race, adding that "the Seine has been dirty for a hundred years, so they can't say that the safety of athletes is a priority."
The Seine is said to be contaminated with hazardous bacteria. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river that flows through the French capital ahead of the games to prove that the water was safe for competitions.
