First Olympics triathlon training session is CANCELLED over health concerns due to levels of pollution in the River Seine - with heavy rain causing more havoc in Paris

The first training session for an Olympics open-water swimming event in Paris has been cancelled due to levels of water pollution in the Seine.

Triathletes were set to take to the river this morning for a familiarisation session but World Triathlon and the organisation responsible for carrying out water quality tests deemed the standard had dipped below acceptable levels.

The Seine was declared clean enough for swimming after inspections in July but heavy rain in the French capital over the past 48 hours diminished the quality. 

However, organisers are hopeful there will be no further delays.

A statement from Paris 2024 and World Triathlon read: 'The tests carried out in the Seine revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held.

'This is due to rain that has fallen on Paris on 26 and 27 July.

'Given the weather forecast for the next 48 hours, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon are confident that water quality will return to below limits before the start for of the triathlon competitions (scheduled for 30 July).'

Water quality can be affected by weather and levels of E. coli, a faecal bacteria. Tests are carried out in the Seine daily with the latest taking place on Saturday.

The men's triathlon is scheduled on Tuesday morning and the weather is expected to improve. The running and bike familiarisations proceeded as planned.

Despite the concerns over the water pollution, the women's individual event is to go ahead on Wednesday with the mixed relay event held the following week. 

Around €1.5billion (£1.2bn) has been spent since 2015 in a bid to clean up the Seine. Public swimming has banned for over a century but the 483-mile river will host marathon swimming and triathlon events during the Olympics.

A heavy downpour during the Opening Ceremony raised concerns over whether the river would remain clean enough to stage events. Test results released on Friday showed the water quality was slightly above the required level before the Olympics. 

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, swam in the Seine last week in an effort to ease fears over the conditions but tests by a monitoring group later found that E. coli levels had been above the safe limit on the day she took to the water.  

The quality of the water was in line with European rules on six days out of seven, Paris City Hall noted, with the downturn attributed to 'regular rainfall episodes'.

In light of the cancellation, the Paris 2024 organising committee stressed that the wellbeing of athletes is their priority and said: 'As observed in July, with summer conditions, water quality in the Seine has improved significantly.'