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PARIS: Paris hosted its first high-diving competition in the Seine, marking another milestone in the French capital’s efforts to transform its once heavily polluted river into a venue for public recreation and international sporting events.
The competition, held near the Eiffel Tower, featured athletes diving from a 20-meter platform as part of the European Aquatics Championships. The spectacular event drew crowds along the riverbanks and offered a striking backdrop of one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks.
The event represents another step in Paris’ long-running campaign to reclaim the Seine. The city invested about 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in projects aimed at improving water quality, including measures initially accelerated by preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games.
For decades, swimming in the Seine was prohibited because of pollution concerns. Public swimming returned in 2025 following the extensive cleanup effort, while the river was also used for swimming and triathlon events during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The revival has not been without challenges. Training for the high-diving competition was temporarily halted after traces of hydrocarbons were detected in the water, although conditions subsequently improved and the competition went ahead.
Paris officials view the transformation of the Seine as more than an environmental project, presenting it as part of a broader effort to bring sports and recreational activities back into the heart of the city.
The successful staging of the high-diving event demonstrated the changing role of the Seine, which is increasingly becoming a venue not only for tourism and transport but also for sporting and community activities.
The river’s transformation remains a significant urban environmental project, with authorities continuing to monitor water quality as Paris expands recreational and sporting use of the historic waterway.
