Paris Mayor Swims in Long-Polluted Seine River to Prove Water Is Safe for Olympic Athletes

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo officially made good on her promise to swim in the River Seine ahead of the Olympic Games to quiet concerns of the water’s safety level.

On Wednesday, July 17, Hidalgo donned a wetsuit and goggles and took the plunge into the Seine near her office and Paris City Hall, according to NBC News. Entering the river with the help of a ladder, Hidalgo swam around 300 ft., showing off her aquatic skills with a breaststroke.

After coming out of the water, Hidalgo told the outlet, “The water is wonderful,” and “very cool and nice.”

The mayor wasn’t alone during the swim event, as Paris Olympic President Tony Estanguet, Paris government official Marc Guillaume and City Council members also joined in.

Estanguet told NBC News that “the Seine quality is perfect,” and the day marked a “very important milestone because it’s the confirmation that we are ready for the Games.”

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Hidalgo had led a €1.4 billion plan to clean up the river ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, and on July 10 the mayor’s office said recent test results showed the Seine had acceptable levels of bacteria, CNN reported.

Two Olympic events — triathlon and marathon swimming — are currently scheduled to take place in the Seine, along with the opening ceremony, which will feature performances on vessels down the river.

Swimming in the river has been mostly banned since 1923, according to the Associated Press. However, France plans to use its cityscape, including the river, to host several events throughout the upcoming 2024 Summer Games.