The Paris Olympics men's triathlon, due to start Tuesday, has been postponed by organizers for a day due to low water-quality levels in the river Seine, where the event's swimming leg is to take place.
The decision by the local organizing committee and triathlon's international federation was made after tests revealed that portions of the route did not meet World Triathlon's safety thresholds.
Cleaning up the Seine and making portions of it safe for swimming is one of the planned legacies of the Paris Olympics. The river was the stage for Friday's unique opening ceremony, the first in Olympic history held outside a stadium.
Despite reportedly spending $1.5 billion on cleanup and infrastructure, adverse weather can still affect water quality.
"Unfortunately, meteorological events beyond our control, such as the rain which fell over Paris on 26 and 27 July, can alter water quality and compel us to reschedule the event for health reasons," said a press release issued by the international federation. "Despite the improvement of water quality levels over the last hours, the readings at some points of the swim course are still above the acceptable limits."
Both the men's and women's triathlons are now scheduled to take place on Wednesday, subject to the river's water-quality levels.
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