Paris Olympics postpone men's triathlon due to dirty conditions on Seine River [VIDEOS]

In a major setback for the Paris Olympics, the men's triathlon race has been postponed after fears over the poor quality of the Seine river water.

The triathletes were forced to cancel their swim practices on Sunday and Monday, leading to the decision to reschedule the men's race from Tuesday to Wednesday.

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The men's triathlon, originally scheduled for an 8 a.m. start on Tuesday, will now begin at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, following the women's race, which is scheduled for an 8 a.m. start.

The organizers have marked Friday as a contingency day in case any of the races cannot continue.

Concerns about water quality were articulated in a statement released by World Triathlon, which stated: “Tests carried out today on the Seine have confirmed that the water quality does not meet the standards required for the holding of the 'event. Despite the improvements, some areas along the swim course still have water quality readings that exceed acceptable limits.”

Organizers did consider turning the event into a duathlon to avoid the swimming aspect. However, more than €1 billion had been invested in cleaning the river before the Games, making it a critical component of the triathlon.

Filthy Water: Paris Olympics men's triathlon postponed due to Seine water quality

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Heavy rain in the days leading up to the competition exacerbated levels of the harmful E. Coli bacteria, posing a legitimate risk. Although it was hoped that the effects of the deluge would subside in time for the event, this appears to have been wishful thinking.

Bathing in the Seine has been prohibited since 1923 due to the poor quality of the water. Former Paris mayor Jacques Chirac promised to rejuvenate the cleaning of the river for public use, but his efforts did not fall short.

However, current mayor Anne Hidalgo tried to demonstrate progress earlier this month by participating in a roughly 100-meter swim, alongside about 100 officials.

Unfortunately, heavy rains during the opening ceremony hampered water quality levels, raising concerns about contamination and, in particular, the presence of E. coli