Traversée de Paris a la Nage 'Race across Paris' denied to French swimmers

As France’s swimmers gave a stunning performance at the London Games, the Paris police authorities put the brakes on an attempt to revive a once-popular swimming race through the capital. Organisers remain determined to make it happen next year.

Traversée de Paris a la Nage [Photo: Parisalanage]

The “Traversée de Paris a la Nage” [swim across Paris] was due to take place on September 2 for the first time in nearly 70 years.

But the Préfecture de Police de Paris (PP) pulled the plug on the event on Monday August 7, deeming the river water to be “of manifestly insufficient quality for swimming” despite “significant improvements in recent years.”

Read more: France24

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Saudi Arabia allows women in the London Olympics

Saudi Arabia will allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time ever in London this summer, the Islamic kingdom's London embassy said on its website.


"I think this is a victory for Saudi sportswomen and hopefully it will promote sports and women's health awareness for the Saudi society," said Lina al-Maeena, co-founder of Jeddah United Sports Company, a rare women's exercise club that runs a female basketball team.





Read more: Philly

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