The men’s triathlon at the Paris Olympic Games has been postponed following the latest water quality tests carried out in the Seine early Tuesday morning (July 30).

Britain’s Alex Yee was due to compete in a race that will now take place on Wednesday at 9:45am BST after the women’s race.

Heavy rains on Friday and Saturday exacerbated the problem, and there were also concerns about water drainage following excessive rainfall.

Olympic organizers and World Triathlon said: “It has been decided to schedule the men’s triathlon competition on July 31 at 10:45 a.m. (CEST). The women’s triathlon is scheduled to take place on the same day at 8 a.m.

“Both triathlons are subject to upcoming water tests, which will require compliance with World Triathlon’s established swimming limits.

“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that the health of athletes is their top priority. The tests carried out today in the Seine revealed a water quality that does not offer sufficient guarantees for the holding of the event.

“Unfortunately, meteorological events beyond our control, such as the rain that fell on Paris on July 26 and 27, may alter water quality and force us to postpone the event for health reasons.

“Despite the improvement in water quality in recent hours, the measured values ​​are still above the permissible limits in some places along the swimming course.”

What is the Seine famous for?

The Seine, the third longest river in France, stretches for 778 kilometres from Dijon to the English Channel and is divided into five sections: the Petite Seine (Little Seine) from its sources to Montereau-Fault-Yonne, the Haute Seine (Upper Seine) from Montereau-Fault-Yonne to Paris, the Traversée de Paris (the Paris waterway), the Basse Seine (Lower Seine) from Paris to Rouen and the Seine maritime (Maritime Seine) from Rouen to the English Channel.

It is known for flowing through Paris and passing famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre.

The historical significance of the Seine includes the sack of Neustria by the Vikings in 841, the fire of Rouen and the siege of France.

The river influenced the numbering of Parisian streets: the numbering of perpendicular or diagonal streets begins on the side facing the Seine, and the numbering of parallel streets follows the direction of the river flow.

Known for its scenic beauty, historic bridges and romantic charm, the Seine continues to play a central role in Parisian culture and history, attracting tourists and artists from all over the world.

Is it legal to swim in the Seine?

Due to high levels of pollution, swimming in the Seine has been banned since 1923.

However, the preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris also included a cleanup operation to make the space usable for the games and to put the city in an even better light.

Is it safe to swim in the Seine?

After the tests were carried out on July 26, the results showed that the water quality in the Seine was just below the standards required for swimming.

Water quality levels are measured daily through tests that detect fecal bacteria known as E. coli.

The monitoring group Eau de Paris carried out the tests, which showed that E. coli levels in the Bras Marie were above the safety limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 millilitres set by European regulations when Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a bath on July 17.

The site reached a score of 985 on the day the mayor swam with the head of Paris 2024, Tony Estanguet, and the top government official of the Paris region, Marc Guillaume. Members of local swimming clubs took part.