Swimming

Europe in Motion

Where in the EU does drowning claim more lives?

In 2022, more than 4,800 people died after drowning. Men make up most of the victims, with most deaths happening at sea.

13/08/2025

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Berlin protesters swim in Spree to push for lifting 1925 ban

Hundreds of people leapt into the Spree River’s calm, green-tinged waters in Berlin’s historic Mitte district on Tuesday, aiming to show it is both clean and enjoyable for swimming.

13/08/2025

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Public swimming in Seine proves popular in French capital

Thousands of people have been swimming in the River Seine since Paris opened three public bathing sites last month, the first in more than a century.

12/08/2025

Health news

How does doping affect athletes' health?

Performance-enhancing drugs can be associated with various health risks and side effects, but further research is needed to understand their long-term consequences on athletes’ bodies.

26/07/2025

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Watch: Parisians swim in Seine for the first time in 100 years

For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists are officially allowed to swim in the River Seine — and many are already diving in.

07/07/2025

Lifestyle

Paris opens the Seine for swimming after 100 years: But is it safe?

After more than a century, Parisians are finally being invited to dive back into the city’s most iconic waterway. But is it sensible to take the plunge?

04/07/2025

Health news

Summer swimming: Most of Europe's waters safe to bathe in, report says

Some 95 per cent of coastal waters in Greece and Cyprus are safe for swimming, a new report has found.

20/06/2025

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Watch: Mass swim in Berlin calls for end to Spree River ban

Around 200 Berliners leapt into the Spree River on Tuesday to demand an end to a century-old swimming ban in the city’s central district.

18/06/2025

Green News

Berliners jump into Spree River to show its clean enough to swim in

Berliners want to lift a 100-year Spree River swimming ban, citing improved water quality and rising urban heat.

18/06/2025

Health news

Greek authorities step up information campaign to combat drownings

Almost 400 people drown in Greece's seas and swimming pools every year, with the absence of a lifeguard cited as one of the main causes.

16/06/2025

Nature

Can this endurance swimmer reverse 50 years of shark fear since Jaws?

Jaws instilled fear in the public - which director Steven Spielberg regrets - but also inspired people to take a greater interest in the predator.

15/05/2025

Scenes

Watch: The swim guru turning the tide for Nigeria’s youth

In partnership with Media City

Emeka Chuks-Nnadi is on a mission to combat the drowning crisis and empower youths with various abilities to be independent in water.

12/05/2025

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Search underway after suspected shark attack on Israeli coast

Israeli police continued their search on Tuesday for a swimmer feared to have been attacked by a shark off the Mediterranean coast near Hadera.

22/04/2025

Design

Fancy walking on water in this Dutch former church?

This bold new design transforms a historic Dutch church into a swimming pool, where you can “walk on water” and lifeguards sit in the former pulpit.

19/04/2025

Art

Pamela Anderson’s red swimsuit steals the spotlight in new London show

A new exhibition at London’s Design Museum is celebrating a century of swimwear in all its forms.

27/03/2025

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Swimmers brave the icy waters of Skagen

Founded in 2012 by Rita Eeg, the Skagen Winter Swimming Festival brings together swimmers from all over Europe each year.

27/01/2025

Travel News

Greek hotels may fill their pools with seawater this summer

As tourism puts pressure on freshwater resources, Greece is considering other options to keep hotel pools filled.

17/01/2025

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Hikers enjoy early morning walk in snowy landscape in the Harz mountain range in northern Germany

Hikers were seen enjoying an early morning walk in the snowy landscape of Brocken in the Harz mountain range in northern Germany on Monday morning.

13/01/2025

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Orthodox faithful in Greece swim to retrieve the cross on Epiphany

A large crowd watched on as dozens of swimmers rushed to retrieve a wooden cross thrown by a priest into the water, in a ceremony marking Epiphany near the port of Piraeus outside Athens on Monday.

06/01/2025

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Trio leaps from Rome's 18m Cavour Bridge in New Year's Day tradition

On New Year's Day, three men dived into the Tiber River in Rome, continuing a 1946 tradition, while in Berlin, swimmers celebrated with their annual ice bath.

01/01/2025