The triathlon didn't have to be in the Seine in Paris. The surfing competition was held all the way in Tahiti. I still can't believe that the Olympic committee wouldn't relocate that event to a river somewhere on the planet that wasn't going to force the athletes to swim through industrial waste, bacteria & raw sewerage. It would have been safer if they had moved the competition to the 17th Street Canal. :covri:
Yes similar to what I said at beginning- France does not lack for alternatives - the only thing I can figure is officials consider having the finish line at Eiffel Tower (I think that’s where it is) to be the most important consideration