Swimming in the Seine: mocked but finally inaugurated

It must be said, the scene had all the makings of an unintentional comedy. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports and the Olympic Games, in a wetsuit, awkwardly slipping on the wet cobblestones before ending up in the Seine. A less than glorious fall for a yet symbolic attempt. And social media, those ruthless arbiters of ridicule, did not hesitate to comment on the incident with sharp humor. She had promised: a few days before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she would dive into the Seine to demonstrate that the river, once a symbol of pollution, is now clean enough to host triathlon and open water swimming events. The choice of location, near the Pont des Invalides, was not accidental. This is where these eagerly awaited competitions will take place. «It's sweet, it's good: 20 degrees», she told BFMTV, after her swim. An almost Mediterranean temperature for a Parisian river long reputed to be unsanitary. The former tennis player, obviously more at ease on clay courts, still managed to swim in water whose quality has been fiercely contested. Because behind this initiative are four years of hard work by the state services and local authorities. Massive investments have been made to depollute the Seine and make it swimmable, an ambitious goal set as soon as the Olympics were awarded to Paris. «Total happiness, commitment fulfilled [...] we did it!», rejoiced the minister, unaware that her fall would be as talked about as she was.

Social media, always quick to seize on irony and clumsiness, reveled in this moment and netizens had a field day. «Will her hospital visit be publicized too I hope?» quipped one user on X (formerly Twitter), while another added: «She kept her promise, let’s hope the hospital isn't her next stop!». Sarcastic comments multiplied, with some even mentioning a potential severe diarrhea after this immersion. The official Winamax account chimed in with a photo of Gollum, the iconic Lord of the Rings character, captioned: «Honestly, it’s fine, no side effects». It must be said that the image of the minister slipping on the cobblestones before plunging into the water had something unintentionally comical about it. Social media, which love this kind of moment, quickly turned this symbolic event into a national farce. Yet behind these mockeries lies a more serious reality: the colossal efforts to make the Seine swimmable, which has been no small feat. Recent bacteriological analyses have shown results compliant with European thresholds, thus allowing swimming. The fecal bacteria levels, particularly E.Coli, have been significantly reduced thanks to modernized water treatment infrastructures and strict pollution control measures.

However, this balance remains precarious. The weather, capricious, has a direct impact on water quality. Heavy rainfall can quickly increase pollution levels, making swimming dangerous again. To mitigate this risk, retention basins have been built to control discharges in case of heavy rains. It is an ongoing challenge, but local and national authorities seem ready to meet this challenge for the Games. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has also planned to dive into the water, literally, on July 17. Her swim will be another media moment aimed at showing Parisians and the world that the Seine is now clean and safe. «I’m not saying we are very serene given the weather, but we have no concerns about being able to hold the competitions on time», said Pierre Rabadan, deputy in charge of the Olympics and the Seine, on RFI. This statement underscores the uncertainties related to weather conditions, but also the determination of the authorities to ensure the events are held under good conditions. Initially scheduled for June 24 but postponed to July 17, the announcement of the mayor of Paris's dive also provoked a surprising reaction on social media. A particularly colorful hashtag, #JechiedanslaSeinele23juin, surfaced. Born as a joke, it encouraged netizens to defecate in the Seine on the day of Anne Hidalgo's swim, in an attempt to sabotage the event. This scatological initiative, launched by trolls often opposed to the mayor of Paris, gained surprising traction, with logistical discussions to make the idea feasible. Since then, the movement has lost popularity and the risk of fines has deterred many. 

Beyond the Olympic Games, the depollution of the Seine represents a legacy for future generations. Making the river swimmable means offering Parisians an additional recreational space, a place where, like our Scandinavian neighbors, they can relax and cool off in the heart of the city. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will undoubtedly be marked by many highlights, but swimming in the Seine will remain one of the most emblematic gestures. Despite the mockery, despite the falls, it is important to recognize the courage and determination of the people involved in this project.