Olympic Triathlon Delayed Because of Dangerous Bacteria Levels In The Seine

The Olympic Men's Triathlon has been postponed because the River Seine was deemed too polluted and unsafe swimming.

The "you can’t make it up" scenario comes after the city of Paris spent over $1.5 BILLION to clean the feces-filled Seine and to also prevent polluted water from entering in the event of rain.

Well, during Friday's Olympic Opening Ceremony that took place amid a torrential downpour, it appears that all that money spent was for nothing as Olympic officials announced earlier today that the Triathlon would be postponed due to unsafe bacteria levels - you hate (love) to see it! (But probably don't enjoy the smell of it.)

TRIATHLON HALTED DUE TO UNSAFE LEVELS OF BACTERIA AND FECES

"The tests carried out in the Seine today revealed water quality levels that did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held," the sport's governing body, the World Triathlon, said in a statement.

For months now, both Paris and Olympic officials knew that the River Seine's water quality could create a crappy situation for triathletes who are supposed to swim 1.5 kilometers to begin the first leg of the three-part race, followed by cycling and then running.  

As I wrote earlier this year, there was specific concern that the triathlon could even become a biathlon if France didn't get the pollutant-filled water conditions squared away, due in part to Paris's antiquated plumbing system that looks like it hasn't been fixed since the 19th century Les Misérables days.

As criticism from local residents and Olympic officials began mounting , Paris's Mayor Anne Hidalgo tried to calm concerns by personally taking a swim in the brown-colored water just a few weeks ago. Nothing better than politicians having to "put their money where their mouth is," only in this instance, it's not money that was entering her mouth.

According to officials, the River Seine has tested positive for extremely harmful levels of E. Coli and intestinal enterocci, causing the World Triathlon Committee to cancel two days of training so far this week prior to today's event postponement. Athletes will now have to wait for Nature to do her thing and push out the unsafe water for some cleaner kind, which would allow the Men's Triathlon to begin tomorrow or Friday.

Ya gotta hand it to the French.