(TheConservativeTimes.org) – The Paralympic triathlon events in Paris are on pause because of concerns over the water quality in the Seine River after heavy rainfall. All eleven triathlon events are now scheduled for Monday as long as water testing results allow.
Rainstorms continued to hit Paris throughout the weekend and heavy rain is notorious for causing wastewater and runoff to flow into the river. This could lead to an increase in bacteria in the water, including E. Coli.
Pierre Rabadan, the Paris Deputy Mayor, said, “It rained a lot Friday and then it also rained Saturday. So the international federation and the organizing committee … out of a principle of precaution decided to delay all of the events for a day, probably until tomorrow.”
He continued to say that they would be using the river for the Paralympics and that they will wait until the test results say that it is safe.
Said Rabadan, “I can’t tell you my exact level of confidence, because it doesn’t matter.” He continued, “The scientific results matter, so we will have it tomorrow, but the trend is actually positive to being able to have the competition tomorrow morning.”
The city had done their part in trying to clean up the river ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic events this year, as this was the main promise. During the Olympics, the men’s individual triathlon event was delayed after the tests showed high levels of E. Coli following rainfall.
It was reported that some Olympic athletes were ill after swimming in the Seine, but that it’s not clear whether or not this was linked to the water quality in the river.
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