The triathlon events at the Olympic Games have become a popular part of the Games since their introduction in 2000.

Combining swimming, long-distance running and cycling, some of the world’s most talented athletes showcase their all-round skills in the fight for a gold medal.

The event was due to take place again during the Paris Olympics, with three separate events on the programme, but these are now uncertain due to the poor water quality of the River Seine.

The Sports News is investigating whether the triathlon will take place during the Olympic Games in Paris.

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Why is the Olympic triathlon uncertain? River Seine E. coli problem

There have long been major concerns about the water quality of the River Seine, due to elevated concentrations of E. coli in the river.

Swimming in the river has been banned for more than a century, but in preparation for the Games, the city of Paris has reportedly spent €1.5 billion cleaning the river and improving water quality.

The mayor of Paris was photographed swimming in the river last month in an attempt to prove it was safe to do so.

Until last weekend, the measures seemed to be successful, but the rainfall on Saturday and Sunday caused increased pollution of the river, which resulted in the cancellation of the training for the swimming event.

This means authorities are closely monitoring pollution in the river, hoping it will have dropped by the time the first triathlon event starts on Tuesday, July 30.

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What is the status of triathlon at the 2024 Olympic Games?

At the time of writing, authorities will be conducting key tests to determine the water quality of the River Seine, to determine whether the men’s triathlon can take place on Tuesday, July 30.

The race is scheduled to start at 8am local time in Paris, but contingency plans are in place if the race cannot go ahead on Tuesday.

The first is to postpone the race by one day, which would also affect the women’s race on Wednesday, July 31.

An even more extreme solution, if the water level is still too polluted for swimming, is to abolish swimming altogether and only perform the triathlon components with the running and cycling part.

2024 Olympic Triathlon Events Schedule

This year’s Olympic triathlon consists of three events.

The men’s and women’s events are currently scheduled to be held on two consecutive days, Tuesday, July 30 and Wednesday, July 31. However, this is subject to change depending on water quality testing.

On August 5, a relatively new event will be introduced at the Olympic Games in Tokyo: the ‘mixed relay’.

All events start at 8:00 am local time in Paris.