The socialist Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced to French media that she will dive into the Seine on June 23(Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)

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Olympics: Paris Mayor pledges to jump into the Seine

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Mark your calendar – Socialist Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo told French media she will jump into the River Seine to mark the Olympic Games.

According to Le Parisien, she will be joined by Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez for the dive on June 23.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s participation is yet to be confirmed, with the head of state having previously promised to jump into the Seine at the Olympic Village inauguration.

The mayor’s announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about the river’s cleanliness, with the NGO Surfrider having told French news outlet BFMTV that the Seine is not safe for swimming.

“If you bathe in the Seine you can catch many diseases if the water is not properly sanitised,” said Lionel Cheylus, a spokesman for Surfrider.

“We hope that with all the work that has been done, the situation will improve,” he added.

Hildalgo, 64, first announced her intention to jump into the river in January 2024.

“To the grumpy ones, I say: Yes, we are going to swim in the Seine. We’re going to do it,” she said.

In the event of bad weather or heavy pollution of the Seine, the plunge could be postponed for a week, her spokesman added.