PARIS (AP) — Paris is staging its first high-diving competition in the Seine, with athletes launching themselves from a 20-meter platform in front of the Eiffel Tower — a spectacular new test of the city’s effort to reclaim its river for sport.The event on the Bir-Hakeim Bridge has also exposed the fragility of that ambition: Organizers suspended training Thursday when traces of hydrocarbons were detected upstream. By Friday, the French Swimming Federation said the affected area had been treated, allowing athletes to return to the water and the event to proceed as planned.High diving concludes Saturday with the final two rounds and medal events, while the broader European Aquatics Championships run through Aug. 16.“There are things that are within our control, and there are uncertainties that are inevitably linked to any outdoor activity,” said Maxime Sauvage, Paris deputy mayor in charge of sports, sports facilities and equal access to sport.
Among the things within the city’s control, he said, are the massive investments made before the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to make the river safe for swimming, from work to prevent sewage from flowing directly into the Seine to improvements in stormwater management.“There is always a small risk, but that is also part of what makes outdoor events special,” Sauvage said. “When they work, it is magical.”
