2024 Olympics, Paris' controversial choice for open water swimming competitions on the Seine

Paris. A miscalculation. A miscalculation. On the contrary, perhaps the idea of having the open-water swimming competitions and the swimming portion of the triathlon contested in the Seine is a real sin of presumption, which risks being discounted by the athletes, jeopardising their health and the technical credibility of the competitions they have to face. All this brings to mind the grotesque ballet that is taking place on the banks of the city's symbolic river, which has already hosted the controversial opening ceremony (and here, it is worth pointing out, the notation applies to the logistical difficulties and contradictions of the event, without wishing to go into the merits of its content) and which should (the conditional at this point is a must) now also host the above-mentioned competitions.

the ITALIAN MEDALSHIRE

THE DOSSIER - OLYMPICS 2024

The men's triathlon race was in fact postponed in the middle of this night due to concerns about the water quality in the Seine where the swimming portion of the race was to take place. According to the organisers, an attempt will be made to race tomorrow, when the women's competition is also scheduled. However, the risk of thunderstorms predicted for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening could complicate any rescheduling: heavy rain usually causes increased levels of e-coli and other bacteria in the Seine. The postponement of the men's event came after a meeting that included the IOC, World Triathlon, the medical team and city officials. The triathlon - let us remember - is the first Olympic discipline to be held in the Seine, before open water swimming in the second week.

Grandeur shipwrecked - Let us now try for a few moments to identify ourselves with athletes who waited in the middle of the night to know whether a few hours, or even a few minutes later, they would have to compete for the podium or even simply the Olympic dream. Athletes who would in any case have competed in the knowledge that they would be putting their health at risk anyway, but also in unprecedented and never before experienced conditions (never has the open water event been held in a river, and the training sessions of these days have all been cancelled due to pollution). Two elements that alone are enough to judge the choice of the river (where even on the eve of the Games the mayor herself Anne Hidalgo jumped in to demonstrate its wholesomeness), and the obstinacy with which this solution is still being pursued is absolutely out of place (as underlined by those who should jump in those waters, such as our Greg Paltrinieri ).