The World Aquatics Foundation has handed over its Environmental Award to the City of Paris, in recognition of its commitment to open the Seine for swimmingThis project was one of the key features of the Paris 2024 Games and this summer, as in 2025, the public can enjoy several swimming sites in the heart of the capital.
The award was presented to the city by the president of World Aquatics, Husain Al Musallam, alongside the president of the World Aquatics Foundation, Dale Neuburger, and in the presence of the president of European Aquatics, Antonio Silva, at a ceremony at the Bras-Marie swimming site. After 100 years of banning swimming in the Seine, the positive impact of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games allows more than 100.000 people swim there each year in the three basins built along the river " Husain Al Musallam points out.
Antoine Guillou, deputy mayor of Paris, emphasized the efforts put in place " to restore the river's environmental quality. These efforts have not only made it suitable for swimming again, but have also contributed to revitalize its rich biodiversityThe river is now open for swimming every summer for everyone to enjoy, and we are delighted to once again host a major sporting competition such as the European Swimming Championships. The award ceremony is accompanied by a $25.000 scholarship, which will be allocated to support the "1, 2, 3... Swim!" program to promote swimming lessons.
