Unhealthy Levels Of E Coli Reported In Seine Ahead Of Olympics; Who Wants To Go For A Dip?

One of the plans for the Summer Olympics in Paris is to have some swimming events in the Seine, but just two months before the games, levels of bacteria including E. Coli are reportedly too high for athletes to get in the water.

And this is even before the day scores of Parisians plan to take protests poops in the river…

The Seine will play a central role in the Olympics this year. First, it will host the opening ceremony which will consist of a boat parade (YAAAAAWWWWN!), but obviously, you could do that on the nastiest river in the world.

Having athletes hop in and take a dip? That's a different story.

According to the Associated Press, this issue with E. Coli was noticed by a group called  Eau de Paris, which, if my cursory understanding of French is correct, means "Water of Paris."

So, it makes sense that they'd be on top of this.

The Seine is set to be the sight of some swimming events at the Paris Olympics, but elevated levels of bacteria including E. Coli have some people concerned. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The First Event In The Seine Is Set For Late July

Their findings of the elevated bacteria levels come after a senior Paris Olympic official said that there are "no reasons to doubt" that swimming events in the Seine — which kicks off with the men's triathlon featuring a 1.5km swim on July 30 — will be held as planned.

I'm not sure I'd be too fired up about the prospect of swimming in an E. Coli bath. I've never had E. Coli poisoning (knock on wood) but I did have some pretty gnarly food poisoning, and I think they usually manifest themselves in similar ways, if you catch my drift.

Anyway, the last thing I would've wanted in that condition would be to lay in bed somewhere without air conditioning, like, oh, I don't know, an Olympic Village dorm, maybe?

Hopefully, if anyone who takes a dip in the Seine comes out feeling a little sick, they'll be representing one of the countries smart enough to bring their own AC units.