The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is scheduled to swim in the Seine on Wednesday, as announced by her office, to showcase that the river is clean enough for the outdoor swimming events during the Paris Olympics. Despite the 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) invested to prevent sewage leaks, the Seine has been under scrutiny due to repeated failures in water quality tests. It was only recently, with the end of heavy rains, that samples indicated the river was suitable for open-water swimming and triathlon, including for Hidalgo, who is 65 years old.
Hidalgo's office stated that this event, occurring just before the Games, highlights the efforts by the city and the state to enhance the Seine's water quality and ecological status. Originally, the swim was planned for last month but was postponed due to bacteria levels, sometimes ten times higher than allowed, indicating fecal contamination. Along with Hidalgo, Tony Estanguet, the chief organizer of the Paris Games and a former canoeist, and Marc Guillaume, the top security official for the Paris region, will also participate. An open-water swimming race will follow.
President Emmanuel Macron, who had previously expressed his intention to join the swim, will not be present due to a political crisis stemming from his decision to call for snap parliamentary elections. The Seine will host the swimming segment of the Olympic triathlon from July 30-31 and August 5, as well as the open-water swimming on August 8-9. Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera was the first notable figure to enter the Seine on Saturday, with videos of her falling into the water while wearing a full wetsuit becoming viral on social media.
