News

Olympic star vomits live on TV after being forced to swim in polluted River Seine

Published

11 months ago

August 1, 2024

editor

Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk violently vomited after crossing the finish line at the Paris Olympics.
Mislawchuk, who came home in ninth place, was seen vomiting just moments after finishing the gruelling race which included a 1.5-km swim, 40km bike ride, and 10km run. The unpleasant scene was captured by TV cameras, which also showed numerous other athletes lying on the mat, struggling to catch their breath.

Alex Yee clinched a thrilling victory in the men’s triathlon, earning Team GB’s fifth gold medal of the Olympics. He worked hard to close a 15-second gap on Hayden Wilde of New Zealand, improving on the silver medal he won in Tokyo three years ago.

In the women’s race, Beth Potter secured the bronze medal for Team GB while Cassandre Beaugrand claimed victory from a leading group of four, winning the spoils for host nation France.

The lead-up to the triathlon events was overshadowed by the poor water quality of the River Seine due to heavy rainfall in Paris over the weekend. The men’s race was initially scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed until the river was deemed safe for swimming

Up until June, E.coli levels in the river were 10 times higher than the level deemed acceptable by sports federations. Tests were carried out on Wednesday morning and the bacteria level was deemed safe enough to go ahead.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo recently took a dip in the river to highlight the clean-up efforts. She said: “It’s sweet and wonderful and the result of a lot of work.

“I remember at the very beginning in 2015 when we began our campaign for the Games, the international triathlon federation said: ‘Why not a triathlon in the Seine? Will athletes be able to swim in the Seine?’. Today we can say they can.”

Swimming in the River Seine has been largely banned for over 100 years due to the high levels of pollution and the risk of disease from accidentally swallowing the water. French officials have invested heavily in making it safer in preparation for the Olympics, with about £1.2billion being spent.

(mirror.co.uk)

News

Japan grants US$ 2.5 mn. to SL to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms

Published

2 hours ago

July 1, 2025

editor

The Government of Japan has granted USD 2.5 million to Sri Lanka to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms under a 3-year project for Promoting Prosecution of Corrupt Practices through the Establishment of Anti-corruption Mechanism.

Japanese ambassador in Sri Lanka – Mr. Akio Isomata and UNDP resident representative in Sri Lanka – Ms. Azusa Kubota, in the presence of Justice Minister – Harshana Nanayakkara, launched ‘The Project for Promoting Prosecution of Corrupt Practices through the Establishment of Anti-Corruption Mechanism’

The three year initiative is supported by the Government of Japan and implemented by the UNDP Sri Lanka, working in close collaboration with the (CIABOC) and the Ministry of Justice.

The project aims to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in governance and business practices through effective and institutionalised preventive mechanisms in the public and investment promotion sectors, strengthen institutions to enhance corruption related investigative processes, improve coordination with stakeholders and ensure quality of prosecutions, empower citizens to effectively mobilise against corruption and enhance social accountability.

The project also seeks to engage and empower youth, children and journalists to actively contribute to the fight against corruption and promote a culture of integrity.

News

3 ex-DMT officials including ex-commissioner, remanded

Published

2 hours ago

July 1, 2025

editor

Former Commissioner General Nishantha Weerasingha and two other former officials of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) have been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The arrests were made as part of an investigation into vehicles that were illegally registered with the Department of Motor Traffic without receiving proper clearance from Sri Lanka Customs, CIABOC said in a statement.

According to CIABOC, former Commissioner General Nishantha Weerasinghe has been arrested for granting approval to issue a number plate for a jeep.

Additionally, a former Assistant Director of Information Technology at the department and a clerk have also been taken into custody for facilitating the illegal data entry and executing it.

The suspects were produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and were ordered to be remanded until July 08.

News

Ex-Immigration Controller pleads guilty

Published

5 hours ago

July 1, 2025

editor

Controller of Immigration and Emigration – Harsha Illukpitiya, today (July 01) unconditionally pleaded guilty before the Supreme Court in a case related to contempt of court.

The charge stemmed from his failure to comply with a court order related to the e-visa issuance process.

The Supreme Court announced that sentencing will take place on July 24.