Sport

Concerns raised over water quality in Seine river ahead of Olympic Games in Paris

Despite the city’s efforts to clean up the long-polluted river, the water has tested unsafe for humans in recent weeks, but cleaner on other days.

Published

1 year ago

July 16, 2024

Ariana News

With the Paris Olympics less than two weeks away, a question hangs over the Games: Will the Seine River be clean enough for athletes to swim in?

Triathlon and marathon swimming are scheduled to take place in the Seine, where it has been illegal to swim for more than a century.

Despite the city’s efforts to clean up the long-polluted river, the water has tested unsafe for humans in recent weeks, but cleaner on other days.

The Games run from July 26-Aug. 11.

To clean up the river, Paris invested 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in building infrastructure to catch more stormwater when it rains — the same water that contains bacteria-laden wastewater that enters the river during periods of heavy rain and makes it unsafe to swim in, Associated Press (AP)
reported

In May, Paris officials inaugurated a giant underground water storage basin next to the Austerlitz train station aimed at collecting excess rainwater and stopping wastewater from entering the Seine. The basin can hold the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools of dirty water that will now be treated and is the centerpiece of major infrastructure improvements that the city has rushed to finish in time for the Games, but to also ensure that Parisians have a cleaner Seine in years to come.

But a few spells of heavy rain could push E. coli levels beyond the limit that the World Triathlon Federation has determined as safe for competitions.

“The Seine is not a special case,” said Metin Duran, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Villanova University who has researched stormwater management. “It really is a complicated and very costly problem.”

Paris, like many old cities around the world, has a combined sewer system, which means that the city’s wastewater and stormwater flow through the same pipes. With heavy or prolonged periods of rain, the pipes’ capacity is reached, which means raw wastewater flows into the river instead of a treatment plant, AP reported.

On a daily basis, the monitoring group Eau de Paris has tested the river water, yielding results that showed unsafe E. coli levels in recent weeks followed by results in early July that showed improvement.

Paris Olympic organizers have said that if heavy rain affects the Seine’s flow during the Games, the triathlon would no longer feature the swimming portion — and the marathon swimming competition would be relocated to the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in the greater Paris region.

“It’s not very common, but it has happened a few times,” said Ollala Cernuda, head of communications at World Triathlon, an international body for the sport, about the possibility of the swim portion being canceled.

“And it’s always linked with water quality issues,” Cernuda said.

But organizers remain optimistic that drier, sunnier weather than what the French capital experienced in June will allow the events to go as planned — buffeted by the infrastructure upgrades. The sun’s ultraviolet rays kill bacteria like E. coli in water.

An AP analysis of weather data showed that in 2024, Paris has seen the second-most days with rain than any year since 1950, surpassed only by 2016.

Importantly for the Seine’s water quality, there have also been few stretches of days without rain.

Paris only experienced one week long dry spell this year — in early June, whereas between 1950 and 2020, it was typical for the city to have at least three such periods by the end of June, according to the analysis.

“Predictions of rainfall have become much more accurate up to a week in advance,” said Jennifer Francis, a scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts. “But the seasonal patterns of past decades no longer provide reliable guidance in our warmer world.”

With the Games approaching, the feverish debate over the cleanliness of the Seine River has become a source of frustration for some athletes like Léonie Périault, a French triathlete who won a bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Every time I meet someone, they worry that I’m going to swim in the Seine,” Périault said. “But I’ve been swimming in this river for several years now. In youth competitions, we swam regularly in the Seine and never had problems.”

Last year, Périault took part in a test event in the Seine.

“The setting was incredible with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop and the water conditions were not worse than anywhere else in the world,” she said.

On Saturday, the French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra took a plunge to demonstrate that the famed river is clean enough. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has also said she would swim in the Seine this week, AP reported.

How to watch the Games.

For sports fans across the country, Ariana Television will broadcast the event exclusively across Afghanistan.

For broadcasting schedules, be sure to watch this space!

ATN secures exclusive rights to broadcast Paris 2024 Olympics

Related Topics:featured France Olympic Paris Paris 2024 Olympic Seine River Sport

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Afghanistan participates in Global Handball Congress as Asia reaffirms support

At the conclusion of the voting process, Egypt’s Hassan Moustafa was re-elected as President of the International Handball Federation, securing another four-year term.

Published

15 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan has participated in the Global Handball Congress held in Cairo, Egypt, with the head of the Afghanistan Handball Federation attending the international gathering alongside representatives from 107 member countries of the International Handball Federation (IHF).

The congress took place from December 19 to 22 and included elections for leadership positions within both the global and Asian handball governing bodies.

At the conclusion of the voting process, Egypt’s Hassan Moustafa was re-elected as President of the International Handball Federation, securing another four-year term.

At the continental level, Badr Mohammed Diyab Saleh Al-Diyab was elected President of the Asian Handball Federation.

Officials from the Afghanistan Handball Federation said that several meetings were held on the sidelines of the congress with senior international handball officials, including the newly elected Asian federation president.

According to the officials, the Asian handball chief reaffirmed continued support for the development and advancement of handball in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s participation in the global congress is being viewed as an important step toward strengthening international sports relations, attracting broader institutional support, and promoting the growth of handball in the country—a sport that has faced significant challenges and limitations in recent years.

Sport

Afghanistan and Kuwait draw 4-4 in friendly futsal match

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s national futsal team played a friendly match against Kuwait on Saturday, ending in a 4-4 draw with the hosts.

Afghanistan’s goals came from Sayed Murtaza Hossaini (1), Hamid Reza Hossaini (2), and Omid Qanbari (1). The two teams are set to face each other again on Monday for the second friendly match.

A five-day training camp for the Afghanistan futsal team began on Friday in Kuwait and will run until Tuesday. The camp is designed to prepare the players for a strong showing at the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup.

International Sports

IPL 2026: Teams take shape after auction as franchises balance star power and depth

Big-money overseas signings, bold investments in uncapped Indian players and a renewed focus on squad depth were among the key themes to emerge.

Published

6 days ago

December 17, 2025

Ariana News

The ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have finalized their squads for the 2026 season following a busy mini-auction, with teams taking contrasting approaches as they prepare for the new campaign.

Big-money overseas signings, bold investments in uncapped Indian players and a renewed focus on squad depth were among the key themes to emerge.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) drew the most attention after spending a large portion of their purse on two uncapped players, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, signalling a shift from their traditionally experience-driven strategy. While the additions of Akeal Hosein and Matt Henry offer tactical flexibility, questions remain over inexperience in the middle order and bowling unit.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) largely retained their core, underlining confidence in a settled squad. The return of Venkatesh Iyer at a significantly lower price strengthens their top order, while Jacob Duffy and Mangesh Yadav add depth to the pace attack without disrupting team balance.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) adopted a more cautious approach despite having a healthy purse. Their standout buy was England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, but the exit of Mohammed Shami has left concerns over their pace resources. An inexperienced spin unit will also be tested across conditions.

Mumbai Indians (MI) entered the auction with few gaps to fill and focused on value buys. Securing Quinton de Kock at base price and adding more all-rounders has given MI flexibility, reinforcing their reputation as one of the most balanced squads in the league.

Gujarat Titans (GT) made minimal changes, with Jason Holder their most notable addition. Already well stocked in most departments, GT opted not to use their full overseas quota, backing squad continuity while still addressing depth concerns.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were the biggest spenders, headlined by the record-breaking ₹25.20 crore ($2.7 million) signing of Cameron Green. With Andre Russell transitioning into a coaching role, Green is expected to fill a major all-rounder void. KKR also strengthened their death bowling and wicketkeeping options, giving them one of the deepest squads on paper.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) focused on rebuilding their spin department, landing Ravi Bishnoi and adding two more wristspinners. The acquisition of Adam Milne bolsters their pace attack, though the lack of a proven all-rounder could be a concern.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) largely stood pat after a strong IPL 2025 campaign. Cooper Connolly was brought in to cover for Josh Inglis, while experienced bowlers provide insurance against injuries. Continuity remains their biggest strength.

Delhi Capitals (DC) assembled one of the most versatile squads, with multiple options across batting and bowling combinations. Their flexibility allows them to adapt line-ups to form and conditions, a factor that could prove decisive over a long season.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) addressed their bowling by adding Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje but still appear top-heavy in batting. Injuries and availability issues among key players may shape their season.

With squads now locked in, attention turns to on-field execution. While some teams banked on stability, others gambled on fresh talent, setting the stage for another highly competitive IPL season when the tournament begins in March next year.