Olympic men's triathlon postponed due to river pollution

The men's triathlon event at the Paris Olympics has been postponed due to high pollution levels in the Seine River, where the swimming segment was to take place. The event is tentatively rescheduled for Wednesday, contingent on improvements in water quality. Concerns about E. coli and other bacteria in the river have been prevalent leading up to the Games, despite Paris investing approximately $1.5 billion in cleanup efforts to mitigate sewage contamination. Recent rainfall has exacerbated the situation, overwhelming sewage systems and allowing untreated water to enter the river. World Triathlon, the sport's governing body, stated that the health of the athletes is their priority, noting that current water quality tests did not meet safety standards. E. coli levels must remain at or below 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters for the water to be deemed safe, but only one of four test sites along the Seine met this criterion. Previous training events had already been postponed due to elevated bacteria levels following heavy rain. Both the men's and women's triathlon events are now scheduled for Wednesday morning, with a backup date of August 2nd if conditions do not improve.