https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/30/24209440/olympics-men-triathlon-postponed-pollution-river-seine Skip to main content The Verge logo.The Verge homepage * The Verge homepageThe Verge logo./ * Tech/ * Reviews/ * Science/ * Entertainment/ * AI/ * MoreMenu The Verge logo. Menu * Sports/ * Entertainment/ * Health There's too much E. coli in the Seine for athletes to swim in it There's too much E. coli in the Seine for athletes to swim in it / The Olympic men's triathlon has been postponed due to river pollution. By Justine Calma, a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home, a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. Jul 30, 2024, 1:25 PM UTC Share this story * * * A view of the Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Paris 2024, before the triathlon, view of the Seine with the grandstands and the Eiffel Tower in the background. Photo: Getty Images The men's triathlon event at the Paris Olympics was postponed today because of pollution levels in the Seine, where the swimming leg of the event was supposed to be held. Now, the event is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday -- if the water quality improves by then. Bacteria in the river, including E. coli, has been a concern leading up to the Summer Games. Paris spent the equivalent of roughly $1.5 billion on cleanup efforts before the Olympics to prevent sewage and wastewater from contaminating the Seine, The Associated Press reports . But rain seems to have stymied efforts to keep bacteria at safe levels. "The tests carried out in the Seine today revealed water quality levels that did not provide sufficient guarantees" "Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their priority is the health of the athletes. The tests carried out in the Seine today revealed water quality levels that did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held," World Triathlon, the sport's international governing body, said in a statement today. Human fecal contamination is "the most important risk factor" in triathlon competitions, according to World Triathlon. Swimming in water contaminated with feces can potentially lead to skin rashes, diarrhea, and E. coli infections. And athletes can be more prone to infection during or right after the event due to hormonal stress and other factors that might affect the immune system. E. coli levels should stay at or below 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters for "sufficient" water quality, according to World Triathlon. Only 1 of 4 test sites along the Seine showed levels below that limit, AP reports. Training events had already been postponed with elevated bacteria levels following the downpour over the opening ceremony. Heavy rain can overwhelm sewage and wastewater systems, allowing untreated water to reach the river. There's more rain in the forecast for Paris tonight. But for now, both the women's and the men's triathlon events are scheduled for Wednesday at 8AM and 10:45AM local time, respectively. There's also a backup date of August 2nd. Most Popular Most Popular 1. Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber wants your next mouse to last forever ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Elon Musk posts deepfake of Kamala Harris that violates X policy ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Arc'teryx's new powered pants could make hikers feel 30 pounds lighter ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Apple releases iOS 18.1 developer beta with the first 'Apple Intelligence' iPhone features ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Customs agents need a warrant to search your phone now ----------------------------------------------------------------- Verge Deals / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox weekly. Email (required)[ ]Sign up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. From our sponsor Advertiser Content FromSponsor logo Sponsor thumbnail More from this stream Everything you need to know about the tech at the Paris Olympics * The TikTok Olympics, in one video. Jul 30, 2024, 9:22 PM UTC * The Olympics has moved on from Mario and Sonic Jul 30, 2024, 6:55 PM UTC * Who needs AI when humans can be this cool? Jul 30, 2024, 1:45 PM UTC * Canadian soccer teams have been spying with drones for years Jul 26, 2024, 2:20 PM UTC See all 19 stories The Verge logo. * Cookie Settings * Terms of Use * Privacy Notice * Cookie Policy * Licensing FAQ * Accessibility * Platform Status * How We Rate and Review Products * Contact * Tip Us * Community Guidelines * About * Ethics Statement The Verge is a vox media network * Advertise with us * Jobs @ Vox Media (c) 2024 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved