Paris honored with World Aquatics' first environmental award

World Aquatics President Captain Husain Al-Musallam presents the inaugural Environmental Award to Paris officials, recognising the city’s successful restoration of the Seine River.

PARIS, Aug 2: Paris has been named the recipient of World Aquatics' inaugural Environmental Award in recognition of its landmark restoration of the Seine River, a project that gained global attention during preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The award celebrates the city's extensive efforts to clean and restore the Seine, dramatically improving water quality and transforming the river into a safe and accessible public space once again.

For the first time in nearly a century, more than 100,000 people have been able to swim in the Seine at five designated locations, underscoring the lasting environmental legacy of the Paris Olympics and the success of sustainable urban renewal.

The Environmental Award itself reflects World Aquatics' sustainability values. It is made entirely from recycled materials, while its ribbon is produced from recycled competitive swimwear.

World Aquatics President Captain Husain Al-Musallam congratulated Emmanuel Grégoire, Mayor of Paris, and Antoine Guillou, Deputy Mayor of Paris, thanking them for their continued support of the federation's environmental goals and sustainable development initiatives, as well as their leadership in the successful rehabilitation of the Seine River.