Paris Olympics opening ceremony rehearsals on the Seine delayed once more | EUROtoday

Issued on: 22/05/2024 – 18:01Modified: 22/05/2024 – 17:59

2 min

Following a stormy month of May that has seen common downpours within the French capital, a rehearsal scheduled for May 27 has been cancelled — as was a earlier one on April 8.

“It will take place when the weather conditions allow for it,” officers within the Olympics ministry and the native organising committee informed AFP.

The Paris Games are set to open on July 26 with a ship parade on the Seine — the primary time a Summer Olympics has begun outdoors the athletics stadium — beneath plans which might be broadly seen as high-risk.

The Seine can also be set to host the open-water swimming and triathlon through the July 26-August 11 Games, offering that air pollution will be decreased to protected ranges by the point athletes arrive in simply over 60 days.

Officials have persistently warned that heavy rainstorms earlier than or through the Games may overwhelm the Paris sewerage system, resulting in discharges of untreated fecal matter into the waterway.

The newest obtainable information — as collected by water charity Surfrider in the midst of May — confirmed ranges of the E.Coli micro organism greater than 4 instances the authorised stage.

E.Coli is a key indicator of the presence of human waste.

Paris authorities and Olympic organisers insist that new infrastructure, together with a wastewater remedy plant and a rainwater storage facility, will probably be in operation by the point the Olympics start.

Read extraParis inaugurates huge water storage basin to scrub up River Seine for Olympics

Cleaning up the river Seine is seen as one of many key legacy achievements of the Paris Games, with mayor Anne Hidalgo promising three public bathing spots for locals subsequent 12 months.

A brand new ballot launched on Tuesday delivered extra worrying information for organisers, with the share of French individuals who say they plan to observe the Games falling considerably.

Only 51 p.c of individuals surveyed informed pollster Toluna Harris Interactive that they deliberate to observe the game — down eight factors since January and a far decrease fee than in different components of the world.

A complete of 71 p.c of respondents in Japan and South Korea mentioned they’d watch, whereas 68 p.c of Americans and the identical variety of fellow Europeans intend to get pleasure from it.

Paris 2024 organisers insist that last-minute nerves and damaging media protection are typical in every Olympic host nation earlier than the Games.

They stay assured that the “iconic” places getting used for the game across the French capital, in addition to some home sporting success, will assist generate enthusiasm and nationwide delight as soon as the occasion begins.

(AFP)