Good News Before the 2024 Olympics

The Paris City Hall reported that the Seine River has been clean enough for swimming for most of the past 12 days, just two weeks before the start of the Summer Olympics hosted by the French capital from July 26 to August 11. Pierre Rabadan, an official from the city hall, told RFI radio that the water quality met the required standards for "11 or 10 days" out of the last 12 days. Weather permitting, the river will be the star of the Olympic opening ceremony on July 26 and will later host the triathlon (which includes swimming, cycling, and running) and marathon swimming. The Paris area has experienced unusually heavy rainfall in recent weeks, leading to increased pollution levels in the Seine due to untreated sewage flowing into the river. Rabadan stated, "We hope the weather improves a bit, but we are not worried about the possibility of holding the competitions," confirming that they will take place, though he added there might be adjustments without providing details.