President of the French Triathlon Federation: We Are Confident in a Smooth Start, or It Will Be a Duathlon If Necessary

On July 30, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee officially confirmed that due to the water quality of the Seine not meeting standards, the men’s triathlon scheduled for today has been postponed until Wednesday. Cedric Gos, President of the French Triathlon Federation, subsequently gave an interview in which he expressed confidence that the competition will proceed smoothly tomorrow.

Cedric Gos said, “We can’t guarantee one hundred percent that the triathlon will take place tomorrow; some things depend on weather conditions, but I trust the organizers and the host. The decision to postpone was made at 4 a.m. this morning, and we have maintained our initial mindset – that is, to be confident at all levels.”

“The high standards set by the organizing committee for the water quality of the Seine reflect their concern for the health of the athletes, which is very important. Therefore, I also want to express my respect for the sense of responsibility of the event organizers.”

Before the start of this event, the Seine had been deemed unsuitable for swimming due to excessive levels of E. coli in the river. After a period of cleanup work, the Mayor of Paris and the French Minister of Sports both personally swam in the Seine to declare that the water quality was no longer an issue. However, heavy rain on the opening day caused the water quality of the Seine to deteriorate again.

If the water quality cannot be improved by the end, this year’s triathlon will drop the swimming portion and become a duathlon. Gos commented, “We must consider this situation; it’s the rule for international events. Once the swimming leg cannot be held due to water quality issues, the competition becomes a duathlon. This won’t significantly affect fairness because everyone is in the same boat.”