Olympics pre-race triathlon event in Seine River canceled over water quality concerns
Paris: Concerns over the water quality of Paris' Seine River have continued into the 2024 Olympics, with a pre-race triathlon event there canceled Sunday.
Organizers said they nixed the swimming leg of the triathlon familiarization scheduled for Sunday morning after a meeting about water quality among authorities tasked with carrying out water quality tests. That included representatives of World Triathlon, as well as city and regional authorities.
Swimming in the Seine has been banned for over a century in big part due to poor water quality. Organizers have invested $1.5 billion to prepare the Seine for these Games, and the government has said the river would be clean enough to hold events, including the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming event.
Daily water quality tests in early June indicated unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria, followed by recent improvements. Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a famous dip in the river less than two weeks before Olympic events were set to start, fulfilling a promise to show that the long-polluted waterway was clean enough to host swimming competitions.
Heavy rain during the opening ceremony revived concerns over whether the long-polluted waterway will be clean enough to host swimming competitions, since water quality is deeply linked with the weather in the French capital.
Since 2015, organizers have invested heavily to prepare the Seine for the Olympics and to ensure Parisians have a cleaner river after the Games. The plan included constructing a giant underground water storage basin in central Paris, renovating sewer infrastructure and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.
Triathleletes have expressed hope that the waters would be clean enough for them to swim in.
“Hopefully we get to swim, bike and run because I don't swim this much to just run and bike," Spanish triathlete Alberto Gonzalez said.
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Tanush Kotian replaces recently retired Ashwin in India's squad
Melbourne, Dec 23: Mumbai off-spinner Tanush Kotian was on Monday added to India's squad for the remaining two Tests in Australia as a replacement for the recently retired Ravichandran Ashwin.
"The Men’s Selection Committee has named all-rounder Tanush Kotian as an addition to India’s squad for the fourth and fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy," the BCCI said in a statement.
The 26 year old Kotian, who was part of India A's tour of Australia, has also been added as a cover for Washington Sundar.
"Kotian has been added as a safety net and also to keep the squad number intact for the last two games. He only comes into the picture if either among Washy or Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) gets injured," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Kotian, who is currently in Ahmedabad for Vijay Hazare Trophy, is expected to leave Mumbai on Tuesday and will reach Melbourne before the start of Boxing Day Test.
The bowling all-rounder picked two wickets and scored an unbeaten 39 for Mumbai in their Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Hyderabad on Monday.
Kotian has fond memories of the Melbourne Cricket Ground where he scored 44 batting at No. 8 for India A and looked the part.
Kotian has played 33 first-class matches, taking 101 wickets at an average of 25.70.
In addition to his bowling achievements, Kotian has three five-wicket hauls and has scored two centuries and 13 half-centuries.
He also played a pivotal role in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy 2023-24 triumph. He was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his outstanding all-round performance, which included 502 runs at an average of 41.83 and 29 wickets at an average of 16.96.
Originally, Axar Patel was supposed to be summoned to Australia but as per sources, the left arm spinner had sought a break after first two matches of Vijay Hazare Trophy due to a family commitment.
Kotian has been added to the squad following Ashwin's surprise retirement from international cricket following the draw Test in Brisbane. The 38-year-old ended his glorious career as the second highest wicket taker for India behind Anil Kumble.
