Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has postponed her planned swim in the Seine River from June 23 to a date after July 14.
The decision was announced during a press conference on Wednesday, where Hidalgo cited the ongoing parliamentary elections as the reason for the delay.
Hidalgo assured that her swim would take place within a week of July 15, before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
"We decided not to do this during the parliamentary elections," she explained to BMF TV, ensuring that her promise to swim in the Seine would still be fulfilled.
Concerns Over Water Quality
Recently, concerns have been raised about the water quality in the Seine.
The Seine River is set to play an improtant role in the upcomming Paris olympics, as the central channel will host the events swimming compitions in less than two months.
Now tests has revealed the river contains dangerously high levels of E. coli.
In light of these findings, organizers of the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris have promised to test the water daily at 3:00 a.m. to ensure it meets safety standards.
If the water quality fails to meet the required standards, competitions may be postponed.
President Emmanuel Macron has also made a commitment to swim in the Seine, joking that he would not announce the date in advance to avoid drawing a crowd.
Hidalgo has echoed this promise, stating she intends to swim in the river before the Olympics, potentially alongside the president.
