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With only nine days left before the opening of the Olympics, the mayor of Paris finally jumped into the Seine to swim after repeatedly "breaking his promise"

2024-07-18

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[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to a report by the French News Network on the 17th, after several "broken promises", Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (pictured) finally fulfilled her promise and jumped into the Seine River to swim that morning. At this time, there were only 9 days left before the opening of the Paris Olympics.

Paris Mayor Hidalgo said several months ago that she would swim in the Seine River to prove that its water quality meets the standards for hosting Olympic events. However, she postponed her entry several times, citing various reasons, such as heavy rains that polluted the Seine River and the French parliamentary elections. It was not until the morning of the 17th that she entered the water at the Pont Marie, not far from the Paris City Hall, accompanied by Paris Olympic Committee Chairman Tony Estanguet and others.

At about 10 a.m. that day, Hidalgo, wearing a swimsuit and goggles, jumped into the Seine River in front of a large number of media and the public, waving to people from time to time. "Swimming is a happy feeling! If there were no Olympics, we would not do this." She also said that if the water quality of the Seine River is restored, a bathing beach can be built on the riverside and residents can swim in the river.

Due to serious pollution in the river, swimming in the Seine has been prohibited for about 100 years. In order to successfully host the opening ceremony of the Olympics and open water events this time, the French government has invested a lot of resources in managing the Seine. Today, including French Minister of Sports, Olympics and Paralympics Amelie Oudea-Casteira and Paris Mayor Hidalgo have successively entered the water to prove that the water in the Seine is "fine", but President Macron's promise to enter the water has not yet been fulfilled. French TV reported that "swimming in the Seine before the Olympics has become a political issue." In the eyes of many people, the Seine has become a "political show" for senior French government officials. (Dong Ming)