2024 Summer Olympics - Might the river swim not meet the standards of Olympic competitors, could Macron's planned dive be postponed?
The question of whether the Seine will be clean enough to swim in during the summer Olympics in Paris is debated intensely. The organizers' goal is to hold competitions in the river right in the heart of the city. Starting next year, swimming in the Seine will also be allowed for Parisians again. However, concerns arise as a result of a billion-dollar investment in cleaner water, especially after the rainy months that caused sewage to enter the river.
Hidalgo and Macron Ready to Swim in the Seine
The issue of swimming is now more than just a city hall concern; it's a significant one at the Elysee Palace, as having Olympic competitions in the Seine in the Parisian backdrop offers stunning global images. Likewise, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and President Emmanuel Macron have declared their intentions to swim in the Seine before the start of the games on July 26. At first, Hidalgo was supposed to swim with Police Chief Laurent Nunez and the prefect of the Paris region, Marc Guillaume on June 23, but a one-week postponement is rumored. The date promises to be a media event, with Macron's potential involvement still up in the air.
Swimming in the Seine is moving from a city hall conversation to an Elysee Palace priority as it creates picturesque scenes that will captivate the world. Hidalgo initially planned to swim on June 23, along with Police Chief Laurent Nunez and Paris prefect Marc Guillaume. However, there is talk of a one-week postponement. Whatever date the event unfolds, it's sure to spark media attention. Macron has yet to confirm if he'll join or choose a different date.
"We need better weather to regulate the water volume to achieve satisfactory swim quality," said Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan recently. "But there's enough time to accomplish the goal." The city has invested approximately 1.4 billion euros in sewage treatment plants and the sewer system in the Paris region. A central element of this project is the 90 million euro retention basin known as Austerlitz, which can hold up to 50,000 cubic meters of rain and sewage during heavy rainfall, preventing the old practice of discharging waste into the Seine.
"Bassin d'Austerlitz" is getting set to go live, making the city hall's optimism about Olympic swimming plans understandable. "The improved water quality is evident from the increased number of fish species in the Seine, growing from 3 to 32," Prefect Guillaume highlighted. Nevertheless, water quality tests commissioned by the water protection organization Surfrider have generated poor ratings. "Out of these 14 samples taken, only one allowed our team to conclude that the water quality of the Seine at that particular location was acceptable."
Athlete Concerns
There's even worry among athletes and competitors. Brazilian Olympic champion Ana Marcela Cunha, who won the open water swimming, recently urged Olympic organizers to create a "Plan B if the competitions cannot take place in the Seine due to poor water quality." It's not about erasing the Seine's history, Cunha argued, "but rather the health of the athletes should be prioritized."
Since early June, the city of Paris has conducted daily water tests. Results will be released weekly, with the number of control stations increasing from eight to 35 in July. The city hopes for improved weather conditions, as the high river flow disrupts the sewage treatment plants' efficiency, and the lack of sunlight adversely affects the water quality.
A social media campaign has also been launched with the hashtag "#jechiedanslaseinele23juin" (I'll pee in the Seine on June 23). Regardless of the campaign's intentions, it targets Hidalgo's swimming event. Critics express their unease about investing over a billion euros into swimming in the Seine while other pressing needs in the city exist.
Meanwhile, "Sous la Seine" (Under the Seine), a thriller film with blood-filled scenes, is being promoted on Parisian metro posters. The story centers around a dangerous shark lurking in the Seine during a triathlon competition in Paris. Director Xavier Gens shared with the broadcaster BFMTV that they tried to release the movie before the Olympics.
