Paris: The familiarisation session for the Paris Olympics marathon swimming event in the Seine River will proceed as planned on Wednesday, following satisfactory water quality test results, according to organizers.
A similar session scheduled for Tuesday was canceled due to concerns about water pollution. However, a meeting early Wednesday, attended by World Aquatics, Paris Games organizers, and other stakeholders, reviewed the latest water quality results. World Aquatics confirmed in a statement that the tests were compliant, thus allowing the familiarisation session to go ahead.
The session will run from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The women’s and men’s marathon swimming races are set for Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Also Read | Australian Warehouse Worker Accused of Stealing $400,000 in ‘Bluey’ Commemorative Coins
French authorities have invested 1.4 billion euros ($1.53 billion) to upgrade the city’s sewage systems, with a promise that the Seine River will be clean enough for swimming by next summer. Despite these efforts, water quality issues have previously impacted triathlon events, leading to cancelled familiarisation sessions and a 24-hour postponement of the men’s race.
