Marathon swimming familiarisation day cancelled at Olympics

Marathon swimming familiarisation day cancelled at Olympics

World Aquatics did not provide a reason but said further information will be made available.

Seine Paris
French authorities had promised that the Seine would be clean enough for residents to swim in by next summer. (AP pic)
PARIS:
The marathon swimming familiarisation session scheduled for today in the river Seine has been cancelled, Paris Olympics organisers said.

“After the daily situation meeting this morning between Ville de Paris, Paris 2024 and World Aquatics, it has been decided that the familiarisation session to take place today, Aug 6 2024, is cancelled,” World Aquatics said in a statement.

It did not provide a reason for the cancellation but said further information would be made available later today.

A team leaders meeting and a coaches briefing would still go ahead as planned.

Training sessions for the swim leg of the triathlon were also cancelled and the men’s race was postponed at the last minute because bacteria levels in the river were too high.

The triathlon mixed relay went ahead as scheduled yesterday after organisers gave the all clear the day before, acknowledging athletes’ demands for more certainty.

French authorities have spent €1.4 billion on upgrading the capital’s sewage systems, promising the river will be clean enough for residents to swim in by next summer.

The women’s and men’s marathon swim races are scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

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