Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the Seine on Wednesday in an effort to show the river is clean enough for outdoor swimming events at the Paris Olympics. Hidalgo was seen wearing a wetsuit and goggles in the water of the Paris river.
One of the most powerful things a city can do to improve its quality of life and all-around success is to reconnect with its water. That includes cleaning up the water itself. Paris Mayor @Anne_Hidalgo celebrates a BIG pre-Olympics achievement with a swim. pic.twitter.com/56eLqi15Oz
— Brent Toderian (@BrentToderian) July 18, 2024
Hidalgo was joined by Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris Olympics organizing committee. The duo swam in the river near the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Prior to immersing herself in the Seine, Hidalgo's office released a statement saying "the efforts made by the city and the state to improve the quality of the Seine's waters and the ecological state of the river."
Hidalgo had previously committed to cleaning up the polluted Seine in advance of the 2024 Paris Olympics. She wanted to showcase that the Seine was safe to hold the triathlon and marathon swimming events of the Olympics when she had planned to bath in the river alongside French President Emmanuel Macron last month. However, the water tested for high levels of bacteria, so the scheduled dip was postponed.
France's sport minister Amelie Oudea Castera also swam in the Seine this past Saturday to prove the water had been cleaned up.
Lionel Cheylus, who runs a clean-water campaign group called Surfrider Europe, stated in a WhatsApp message that the most recent tests showed that the river was "swimmable," according to USA Today.
