Men's Olympic triathlon postponed due to pollution concerns in Seine

The men's Olympic triathlon planned for Tuesday has been postponed over concerns about water quality in Paris' Seine River, where the swimming portion of the race was supposed to take place.

Organizers said they will try to hold the men's triathlon Wednesday instead. The women's competition is also scheduled on Wednesday, but both are subject to water tests. Friday is also planned as a backup date.

But Meteo-France, the French weather service, was forecasting storms Tuesday night, light rain Wednesday afternoon and storms Thursday, which could complicate rescheduling the events.

Heavy rains generally cause levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the Seine to rise. Paris experienced a downpour during the Olympic opening ceremony Friday, with rain continuing into Saturday.

The swimming portion of training events, meant to let the triathletes familiarize themselves with the course, was cancelled on both Sunday and Monday because of concerns over water quality.

The decision to postpone the men's triathlon followed a meeting early Tuesday morning that included the sport's governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team and city officials.

Triathlon Canada high performance director Phil Dunne noted safety as the top priority when dealing with "uncontrollable variables" in any open water event.

"We have full confidence in World Triathlon and Paris 2024's mitigation plans to prioritize the health and safety of our athletes, while continuously monitoring the water conditions in Paris and developing appropriate plans that ensure the events are executed safely and as anticipated," he said.

Canadians Tyler Mislawchuk and Olympic rookie Charles Paquet are among 55 athletes scheduled to race.

Mislawchuk of Oak Bluff, Man., would be