Dirty Seine River cancels triathlon practice at Summer Olympics

July 28 (UPI) -- Paris Olympics organizers have canceled the swimming portion of the triathlon practice sessions because heavy rain has polluted the water in the famed Seine River, officials announced. Rain has been pounding Paris since the opening ceremonies Friday night.

"Following a meeting on water quality ... by representtives of the World Triathlon and their technical and medical delegates, Météo France, Drieat, the City of Paris and the prefecture of the Île-de-France region involved in carrying out water quality tests, a joint decision was taken to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarization was due to be held [Sunday]," told the media in a statement.

"The running and bike familiarizations will go ahead as planned."

Officials said the Monday session could also be at risk and that the health of the athletes is of utmost concern. A decision on the Monday session is expected by midnight EDT.

If they cancel that session, the triathletes would have no chance to practice before the start of the men's race Tuesday.

"Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterates that the priority is the health of the athletes," it added. "The tests carried out in the Seine revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held. This is due to rain that has fallen on Paris on 26 and 27 July."

Officials remain confident that conditions will improve based on the weather forecast, and that the water quality will return to within safe limits for swimming. They based their predictions on similar conditions in the past that improved with increased sunshine and higher temperatures.

Paris has spent nearly $1.5 billion over the last decade to improve the quality of the Seine, where swimming has been banned since 2015. The city has constructed a large underwater storage basin, improved sewer lines, upgraded wastewater treatment facilities, and updated other critical infrastructure in an attempt to clean up the Seine.

Heavy rain stirs up the river, and increases the level of dangerous E. coli and other bacteria that can make the athletes sick if ingested.