The organizing committee for the Paris Olympics has unveiled backup plans for open-water events if the Seine River is deemed unsuitable for swimming.
Triathlon and marathon swimming events are scheduled to take place in the famed river running through Paris, but unsafe levels of E. coli have been detected in recent weeks, raising questions about whether the events could go ahead as planned.
Organizers on Friday confirmed they have backup plans: the triathlon and marathon which are scheduled to take place near the Alexander III bridge between July 30 and Aug. 5, could be postponed by a few days if conditions are unsafe.
“The potential for unseasonal weather events requires us to be cautious,” a statement from the organizers said.
In a worst-case scenario, if heavy rain affects the Seine’s flow and increases bacteria levels, the triathlon could be changed to a duathlon, without the swimming portion.
The marathon swimming competition could be relocated to the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in the greater Paris region, which already hosts rowing and canoeing competitions and can accommodate up to 15,000 spectators, organizers said.
It would be crazy if they suddenly made the triathlon a duathlon, but it does sound like there’s a real backup option.
