Team GB’s open-water swimmers urge UK government to clean polluted waters after racing in Paris’ River Seine on the back of £1.2bn clean-up job

Britain’s open-water swimmers have urged the UK Government to follow France’s lead and clean its polluted waterways after safely racing in the Seine on Friday.

French authorities spent £1.2billion on a major clean-up operation of the river in Paris, where swimming had been banned for more than 100 years.

Despite the men’s triathlon being delayed by a day last week because of poor water quality, all five events involving swims in the Seine – the three triathlons and two 10k open-water races – have gone ahead.

And Hector Pardoe and Toby Robinson hope Britain learns lessons from France amid the sewage dumping scandal back home, which has been branded a ‘national disgrace’ by Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Tim Farron.

‘This is going to be Paris 2024’s legacy,’ said world bronze medallist Pardoe, who finished sixth on Friday. ‘It is amazing they have been able to clean it up and all the races have gone ahead.

The French government conducted a £1.2billion clean-up in the River Seine before the Olympic Games

All five races in the Seine – three triathlons and two open-water swims, went ahead as planned

‘It sets a really good precedent for the rest of European nations to clean up the rivers. Hopefully we can follow it in the UK because we have got a massive way to go to even get close to what France have done here.’

Robinson, who came 14th, added: ‘Paris has managed to do a big effort in cleaning up this water, why can’t we do this back in Britain? Imagine if we can get swimmers swimming in the Thames, that would be an amazing experience. ‘

‘The world should look at Paris cleaning up the Seine and take action in their own waterways.’

Pardoe is in a relationship with France’s Cassandre Beaugrand, who won the women’s triathlon in Paris last week. He says his partner has not been ill since swimming in the Seine and neither have Team GB’s triathletes, despite fears of catching E.coli because of the bacteria in the water.

‘I am going to take some precautionary antibiotics and clean my hands but the water quality felt fine,’ added Pardoe. ‘You don’t really taste E.coli – I’m not a connoisseur for that. I don’t think it was any different to any lakes that I have swam in in the UK.

Open-water swimming star Toby Robinson, who finshed 14th, has called for a clean-up of the Thames in London

‘There was a lot of negativity about the Seine before the Olympics but they have spent £1.2bn on this clean-up project so bravo to them for doing it.

‘It was an amazing experience to race at such an iconic course. My partner is French so we will be coming to Paris quite a lot over the rest of my life. Every time I walk past here I will remember this swim.’