The French authorities have decided postpone opening ceremony rehearsal of the Paris Olympic Games, scheduled for this Monday, due to the high flow of the Seine River. Heavy rains have made this five times higher than what … It is normal during the summer.
A successful test of the unique outdoor ceremony took place earlier this week, which will take place next July 26.
On the other hand, as reported by the French media, the quality of the river’s water still not good enough for the Olympic competitions planned therein and is not suitable for bathing.
According to the reports they cite, the prefect – equivalent to the Government delegate – of the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, has declared that the samples taken from the river still do not meet the minimum.
One of the reasons for the failure of the tests, they argue, is the heavy rains of recent weeks. According to the authorities, this has caused an increase in the concentration of fecal bacteria. However, Guillaume is confident that levels will improve before the start of the Games.
The triathlon and open water swimming competitions are scheduled to be held in the Seine. Swimming has been prohibited in the Seine for almost a hundred years.
The city has invested 1,400 million euros to improve water quality.
