Olympics fans disgusted as presenter admits river too dirty to swim in if athletes were competing today

As the Opening Ceremony kicks off in Paris on the iconic Seine River, fans online couldn't help but comment on the state of the river.

In an unprecedented move, the opening ceremony took place outside the stadium with a parade of boats down the Seine. A total of 10,500 athletes made their way to France for the event, breaking tradition as they took center stage during the opening parade. The event accommodated 300,000 spectators, mostly free of charge, emphasizing the city's focus on audience participation.

The condition of the Seine was closely monitored in the lead up to the Olympics . Known for its sewage pollution, Paris pledged to clean the river for use during the games. To demonstrate the river's cleanliness, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a swim in the waters ahead of the games.

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As the opening ceremony started, viewers took to Twitter, currently known as X, to share their thoughts about the opening ceremony taking place on the Seine. "You’re telling me the best they could do is put fountains in that disgusting river and float the athletes down it?" one wrote.

Others commented on the possibility of Olympians competing in the river, especially as the commentator stated that the current E.coli level in the river isn't suitable to swim in. Someone said: "Why do the #Olympics keep pretending like the Seine is going to be ready — at any point — for people to swim in it? If the E.coli levels are too high today, that damn river is never going to be safe. Find an alternative!"

"River Seine filled with ecoli and still not ready for competition. Who's taking the first plunge?" another commented. A third wrote: "Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait...the river's still too full of e. coli to host a swimming event right now? But they're gonna be spraying that water up into the wind and clearly some on the athletes? Oh no."

Meanwhile other fans are gushing over the decision to host the opening ceremony on the river instead of inside a stadium. "Okay, this is cool that the entire ceremony is along the river," one person said.

Another added: "I wasn't sure how the #Olympics opening ceremony would work on the river, but I'm loving this already!"

The 2024 Olympics in Paris commenced on July 26 and are scheduled to run until April 11. The games unite athletes from around the world, competing in a variety of sports including swimming, field hockey, gymnastics, and more, all vying for one of the most prestigious honors in sports.

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