After a stormy month of May with frequent downpours in Paris, a rehearsal planned for May 27 has been called off, following a previous cancellation on April 8.
Officials from the Olympics ministry and the local organizing committee informed AFP that the rehearsal will be rescheduled once weather conditions permit.
The Paris Games are slated to commence on July 26 with a boat parade along the Seine, marking the first time a Summer Olympics will begin outside of the athletics stadium, in a move considered high-risk by many.
The Seine is also designated to host open-water swimming and triathlon events during the Games from July 26 to August 11, contingent upon reducing pollution levels to ensure athlete safety.
Concerns persist among officials about potential sewage system overload due to heavy rainstorms before or during the Games, which could result in untreated waste discharge into the waterway.
Recent data collected by water charity Surfrider in mid-May indicated E. Coli bacteria levels exceeding authorized limits by more than fourfold, serving as a primary indicator of human waste presence.
Paris authorities and Olympic organizers maintain that new infrastructure, including a wastewater treatment plant and rainwater storage facility, will be operational by the Games’ commencement.
The cleanup of the River Seine stands as a significant legacy achievement of the Paris Games, with Mayor Anne Hidalgo pledging three public bathing spots for locals next year.
However, a recent poll by Toluna Harris Interactive suggests a decline in interest among the French population, with only 51 percent indicating intent to follow the Games—a decrease of eight points since January and substantially lower than other regions.
In contrast, 71 percent of respondents in Japan and South Korea, as well as 68 percent of Americans and Europeans, expressed plans to engage with the event.
Despite these findings, Paris 2024 organizers remain optimistic, attributing last-minute jitters and media coverage to typical pre-Olympic patterns in host countries. They believe the use of “iconic” locations in Paris for sports events, coupled with potential domestic sporting achievements, will ignite enthusiasm and national pride once the Games commence.