Current:Home > InvestFrench sports minister takes a dip in the Seine weeks before the 2024 Paris Olympics begin-LoTradeCoin
French sports minister takes a dip in the Seine weeks before the 2024 Paris Olympics begin
View Date:2025-01-15 01:33:44
French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra took a symbolic dip in the Seine on Saturday in a bid to ease concerns about water quality before the start of the Paris Olympics.
Oudéa-Castéra, dressed in a body suit, dove into the famous river after an initial slip and swam a few meters near the Alexandre III bridge, where the Olympic open water swimming competition will be held.
"We held our promise," she said to BFMTV, referring to an earlier pledge to swim in the Seine before the Games begin on July 26.
She was accompanied by Alexis Hanquinquant, the Paralympic flag bearer for France.
Ever since swimming in the Seine was banned in 1923 due to pollution levels, French politicians have promised to make the river swimmable again. Former Paris mayor and later president Jacques Chirac famously vowed in 1988 that the river would be clean enough to swim in by the end of his term, a promise that went unfulfilled.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also plans to swim in the Seine to prove its cleanliness.
In February, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to take a dip, too. But he added: "I'm not going to give you the date: There's a risk you'll be there."
Hanquinquant, a para-triathlete, joined Oudéa-Castéra in Saturday's swim and experienced firsthand the conditions he will face in competition on Sept. 1.
The Paris Olympics, which begin July 26, is set to include triathlon events starting July 30 and marathon swimming on Aug. 8 and 9 in the Seine near the Alexandre III bridge. While the city has spent $1.5 billion in trying to clean up the waterway, it has so far been unsuccessful in removing the contamination and quelling concerns among athletes and locals.
If water quality issues arise, organizers have backup plans.
- In:
- Paris
- Olympics
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Parts of Southern California under quarantine over oriental fruit fly infestation
- Ford, Toyota, Tesla among 517,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
- The Many Colorful Things Dominic West Has Said About Cheating and Extramarital Affairs
- Why Anne Hathaway Says Kissing Actors in Chemistry Tests Was So Gross
- Lululemon, Disney partner for 34-piece collection and campaign: 'A dream collaboration'
- Taylor Swift’s Friend Keleigh Teller Shares Which TTPD Song “Hurts So Much” for Her
- One dead, 7 missing after 2 Japanese navy choppers crash in Pacific
- Movies for Earth Day: 8 films to watch to honor the planet (and where to stream them)
- Panel advises Illinois commemorate its role in helping slaves escape the South
- One dead, 7 missing after 2 Japanese navy choppers crash in Pacific
Ranking
- Advocates Expect Maryland to Drive Climate Action When Trump Returns to Washington
- Israeli strikes in Rafah kill 18, mostly children, Palestinian officials say
- Israeli airstrike on a house kills at least 9 in southern Gaza city of Rafah, including 6 children
- The Chinese swimming doping scandal: What we know about bombshell allegations and WADA's response
- Taylor Swift's Mom Andrea Gives Sweet Nod to Travis Kelce at Chiefs Game
- Nelly Korda puts bid for 6th straight victory on hold after withdrawing from Los Angeles tourney
- Dairy from a galaxy far, far away: Blue milk from 'Star Wars' hits shelves ahead of May the 4th
- Without cameras to go live, the Trump trial is proving the potency of live blogs as news tools
Recommendation
-
Princess Kate makes rare public appearance after completing cancer chemo
-
'American Horror Story: Delicate' Part 2 finale: Release date, time, where to watch and stream
-
WWE partnering with UFC, will move NXT Battleground 2024 to UFC APEX facility
-
Contact restored with NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe
-
Army veteran reunites with his K9 companion, who served with him in Afghanistan
-
Why Anne Hathaway Says Kissing Actors in Chemistry Tests Was So Gross
-
‘Catch-and-kill’ to be described to jurors as testimony resumes in hush money trial of Donald Trump
-
Bluey is all grown up in 'Surprise' episode on Disney+. Now fans are even more confused.