French Sports Minister Swims in Seine River Before Olympics

Swimming in the Seine should clear up any doubts. French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera has ventured into the river – which has been criticised for its pollution – that will be the venue for the Paris Olympics.

French Sports Minister Amélie Oudea-Castera took a dip in the Seine River in front of television cameras. She wanted to prove that the capital's river was clean enough just two weeks before the start of the Summer Olympics. As the footage shows, the former professional tennis player slipped as he entered. Oudea-Castera swam in an area not far from the Pont Alexandre III, where the triathlon and open-water swimming competitions are scheduled to take place.

The city of Paris had announced earlier Friday that the current water quality of the Seine would be sufficient to hold the competitions there. According to a new water quality analysis conducted by the city, it met Olympic regulations on six of the last seven days measured. More than 80 percent of the water analyses were within the limit values.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants to jump into the Seine on July 17, if the water quality allows it. She originally wanted to jump into the expensively cleaned river on June 23, but the water test results were very poor. As French President Emmanuel Macron's entourage said in June, the head of state also wants to take a dip in the Seine before the Games start on July 26. (APA)