Team USA athlete stops washing his hands after using the toilet at Paris Olympics

In an eyebrow-raising turn of events, US triathlete Seth Rider has stopped washing his hands post-bathroom trips to boost his resistance against the polluted waters of the River Seine .

Due to water quality concerns falling below acceptable standards, the men's individual triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been pushed back. Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the event now looks to kick off on Wednesday, though there are still worries about the safety of the waters for competitors.

Rider is resorting to extreme measures to dodge potential sickness, betting on the unorthodox method of avoiding handwashing to up his E. coli tolerance.

• Olympics fans left stunned by swimmer's choice of trunks - 'is this legal?'
• Celine Dion sparks concern as Olympics viewers all share same question

"We know that there's going to be some E. coli exposure, so I just try to increase my E. coli threshold by exposing myself to a bit of E. coli in day-to-day life," he explained, claiming that his strategy is rooted in sound scientific principles. "And it's actually backed by science. Proven methods. Just little things throughout your day, like not washing your hands after you go to the bathroom."

FOLLOW OUR OLYMPICS COVERAGE HERE

While the event planners have strived to sanitize the river, adverse weather since Friday's opening ceremony has hindered their efforts, leading to deteriorated water conditions and consequently, delaying the race, reports the Mirror US .

"Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their priority is the health of the athletes," read an official statement released on Monday. Despite strenuous efforts and testing, the current water quality in the Seine remains unsuitable for the triathlon to take place safely.

"Despite the improvement in the water quality levels in the last hours, the readings at some points of the swim course are still above the acceptable limits."

This has not only thrown a spanner in the works for the official competition but also prevented athletes from getting their much-needed training in optimal conditions.

The French triathlon federation's technical director, Benjamin Maze, expressed to French media that the athletes have been left "angry and disappointed" due to the delays and subpar water quality. "There was a bit of anger and disappointment on the part of the triathletes," he admitted.

"The events were supposed to take place at 8 a.m., so when we heard the news, they were already at breakfast eating some rice. Well, the pre-race meal as usual. In this kind of situation, you have to accept your emotions. Once again, this disappointment, this anger, and then to leave in a resilient mood, to leave in a much more positive mood."

"In any case, that's what we encouraged them to do."

He acknowledged, though, that uncontrollable elements are part of outdoor sports. "They know that they are doing an outdoor sport, even more so in triathlon. We knew that we had had problems with water pollution in recent days."

For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here .