Olympics 2024: Men's Triathlon Postponed Due to Unsafe Levels of Fecal Matter in Seine River

The 2024 Olympic organizers are dealing with a real stink. 

The men's triathlon was postponed after the conditions in Paris' Seine River were deemed unsafe for the athletes. 

The World Triathlon released a statement on July 30, sharing that after a meeting on water quality, the men's triathlon had been postponed from its planned start time of 8 a.m. that same day. 

The event was rescheduled to July 31 at 10:45 a.m. shortly after the women's triathlon is set to take place that morning. A contingency plan is also in place for an August 2 makeup date. 

"Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their priority is the health of the athletes," the statement read. 

The World Triathlon also explained that the rain Paris experienced on July 26 and 27 contributed to the insufficient quality of the water calling it "beyond our control." 

Noting that the rescheduled men's triathlon is "subject to the forthcoming water tests," the World Triathlon shared that competing athletes are being provided "real-time updates on the situation." 

The city of Paris spent about $1.5 billion to clean up the Seine River ahead of the 2024 Olympics, NBC News previously reported. These efforts included an antiquated sewer system meant to hold the overflow from rainwater. 

To show the river was ready for the international athletes, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo went for a public test swim on July 17. 

However, water testing, which took place from July 17 to 23, showed that there were spiked levels of E. coli—an indicator of fecal matter—at the Pont Alexandre III bridge, the start and finish point of the triathlon events. The highest levels recorded were at least double what is considered acceptable by World Triathlon, NBC News reported. 

If swimmers ingest water with unsafe levels of fecal matter, it can lead to gastrointestinal disease.

Prior to the news of the rescheduled men's triathlon, Olympic organizers canceled swim training for triathlon events due to the Seine River conditions. 

Other events that could be impacted by the water quality include the mixed relay triathlon and marathon swimming events, which are scheduled for August 5, 8 and 9, respectively. 

For more on the rules at the 2024 Paris Olympics, read on. 

No french fries at the Olympics in France? Oui.

As it turns out, the dish won't be on the menu at the Olympic Village in Paris.

"French fries are too risky," chef Charles Guilloy explained to The New York Times in May, "because of fire-hazard concerns over deep-fat fryers.

Athletes won't be able to find foie gras or start their day with some avocado toast at the village either.

"No to foie gras because animal well-being is on everyone’s mind," Guilloy continued, "and no to avocados because they are imported from a great distance and consume a lot of water."

While some Olympians may want to toast to their success with a glass of bubbly, they won't be able to at the Olympic Village. 

"No champagne in the village, of course," Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Villages Laurent Michaud told Sky News in March, "but they can have all the champagne they want also in Paris."

And even though there's a sports bar in the village, it won't be serving any alcohol.

"We wanted to create some places where the athletes will feel very enthusiastic and comfortable, so they can have some conversations, discussions and to share their core values about sports," Michaud shared with the outlet. "So we have made a village club, also, with a lounge, with a sports bar, with Coca-Cola—I mean, no alcohol, of course, over there. But it's going to be a great place so they can actually share their moment and the environment here."

Talking about a lack of air conditioning during the Summer Games is one way athletes can break the ice.

Olympic organizers have opted to forgo a.c. in the Olympians' rooms and instead rely on another way to stay cool.

"We designed these buildings so that they would be comfortable places to live in in the summer, in 2024 and later on," Yann Krysinski, SVP of SOLIDEO (the entity in charge of the major infrastructures for the Olympics), told Reuters in February, "and we don't need air conditioning in these buildings because we oriented the facades so that they wouldn't get too much sun during the summer, and the facades, the insulation is really efficient."

He added, "We also are providing naturally cool water that we're getting from underground to cool the air of these apartments. So you will not need air conditioning in the summer here."

Still, not all competitors were chill with this decision, and the United States Olympic Committee's CEO Sarah Hirshland previously confirmed Team USA will have air conditioning in their rooms. According to The Washington Post, Britain, Canada, and Italy's teams are among those bringing a.c. units as well.

During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the playbook urged athletes to "keep physical interactions with others to a minimum" amid the coronavirus pandemic. There were also those cardboard cots that social media users dubbed the "anti-sex" beds.

And while condoms were handed out to the athletes, the intention was for them to "take them back to their home countries and raise awareness" for HIV and AIDS, organizers told Reuters.

While the cardboard beds are back for the 2024 Paris Olympics, there isn't the same level of social distancing protocols. And there will be condoms on hand for the approximately 14,250 Olympic Village residents.

"We are aiming to have 300,000 condoms here at disposal for the athletes in the village," Michaud told Sky News. "It's a quantity that makes sure that everybody will have what they're expecting and what they need."

If athletes want to share social media content, they're going to need to follow some #rules.

For instance, the International Olympic Committee's guidelines state athletes can share audio and video recordings from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Olympic Village, Champions Park, training venues and practice areas. The rules also note athletes can post recordings from competition veneus up to an hour before their events begin and after the they've left the "mixed zone/doping control station."

However, the guidelines make it clear that these recordings cannot exceed two minutes per post. In addition, the rules state athletes cannot share videos of medal ceremonies or sports competitions (including anthems, coin tosses or celebrations on the field) and that the clips cannot be live.

And while photos can be taken at the Games if the Olympians follow the guidelines, the rules explain that pictures and videos cannot be shared if they're commercial, use AI or feature the "medical areas, doping control station or mult-faith centre."

Trying to help the planet? Now that move deserves a gold medal.

Paris is banning single-use plastics during the 2024 Olympics, including at festival sites, competition locations and the Marathon Pour Tous.

According to the city's tourism website, reusable, non-glass water bottles will be allowed at festival and competition sites and attendees will be permitted to bring their own containers, bowls or cups for eating and drinking. Runners will also drink from reusable cups during the marathon.

"Whether it's drinking, having an ice cream or a takeaway meal," the website reads, "all containers and cups will be reusable."

Did you know you don't have to wear shoes while running a race? 

According to World Athletics' rules, "Athletes may compete barefoot or with footwear on one or both feet."

In fact, Abebe Bikila from Ethiopia ran the marathon barefoot at the 1960 Olympics in Rome and won the gold medal. Similarly, Zola Budd ran the 3,000 metres barefoot while competing for Great Britain at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, coming in seventh.

There's actually a rule for what happens when a tennis ball hits a bird during a match.

According to the International Tennis Federation, if a ball strikes a bird that's flying overheard, it's considered a hindrance and the point is replayed.

In a canoe with a broken paddle? Let's just say you don't want to be in that boat.

According to the International Canoe Federation's guidelines, an athlete with a broken paddle during the canoe slalom "must drop back and/or complete the course alone. The broken end of the paddle is considered dangerous. They may drop the paddle and use their hands to finish the course."