Sports Minister bathes in Seine to demonstrate water quality
Sunday, July 14, 2024, 10:07 AM
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera took a dip in the Seine River on Saturday with Paralympic triathlete Alexis Anquinquant, with less than two weeks left until the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
The aim of this symbolic dive in front of television cameras was to show that the quality of the Seine’s water is suitable for swimming, despite doubts that the Olympic triathlon, adapted triathlon and open water swimming competitions can be held in the river… due to the river’s pollution.
The minister kept her promise to swim in the Seine. For the occasion, she wore a long-sleeved wetsuit from the French Triathlon Federation, long trousers and a swimming cap, but no diving goggles.
“I am deeply moved. I think of all the work that the public services and local authorities have done over the last four years (to allow Parisians to bathe in the Seine). We said we would be ready, and we are ready. It is truly fantastic to say that all the people of Ile-de-France (the Paris region), France and the world will be able to enjoy this heritage. It is amazing to think that thanks to the Games we have achieved this. “It is very exciting,” the minister said in a statement to RMC Sports before taking a bath.
The minister, who slipped on the rocks of the pier while entering the water, was accompanied by Paralympic triathlete Alexis Ankenkan, who will be one of France’s flag bearers at the Paralympic Games. The minister and the triathlete were swimming near the Alexandre III bridge with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
“It’s amazing. Oh, what happiness! “It’s great,” the minister exclaimed as he entered the river. Udea-Kastera, who had also jumped headfirst into the river on another occasion, insisted that the water, which was 20 degrees, “was good.”
The minister thus beat Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and President Emmanuel Macron, who also promised to swim in the river before the Olympics to set an example.
Hidalgo plans to take a bath on July 17. The mayor has had to postpone the appointment several times because of pollution in the Seine from heavy rains in recent weeks. There is still no official date for the president’s bath in the Seine.
The minister’s early swim may have been influenced by the political situation in France following the July 7 legislative elections. Macron is expected to accept the resignation of his minister and government on Tuesday. After they step down, Attal and his ministers will simply manage day-to-day affairs until a new government is appointed.
The waters of the Seine have been suitable for swimming for 10 of the past 12 days, Pierre Rabadan, head of the Paris Olympic city council, said on Friday, expressing optimism that Olympic events planned on the river can be held there safely for the health of athletes.
Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Olympic Organising Committee, confirmed a few days ago that there is a Plan B for Olympic events on the Seine River in case the waters are too polluted for swimming on competition day.
The organising committee planned to use the canoe and rowing centre in Vers-sur-Marne, east of Paris, as a plan B for the open water swimming events.
In the event of water pollution due to heavy rains or any unforeseen event, the Olympic triathlon and adapted triathlon competitions will be postponed for several days until a suitable day for swimming is found. In extreme cases, the regulations stipulate that it can be replaced by a duathlon, Estanguet recalled.
The French government spent €1.4 billion on its “Baignade plan” (bathing plan) to speed up the cleaning of the Seine River and make it suitable for bathing. To store rainwater and prevent pollution of the Seine, Paris has built the Austerlitz rainwater reservoir. This rainwater reservoir can store 50,000 cubic meters of rainwater, the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools or six months of rain.
Paris banned swimming in the Seine in 1923 by a prefectural decree for health reasons. Parisians will be able to swim in the Seine in the summer of 2025 in different parts of the city.