The Belgian triathlon team forfeited the mixed triathlon relay finals on August 5 after Claire Michel was hospitalized with an Escherichia coli infection, likely contracted from swimming in the polluted Seine River during the women's triathlon event.
Switzerland also had to replace triathletes due to gastrointestinal infections, with one case linked to swimming in the Seine River.
Despite efforts to clean the Seine River and make it swimmable for the Paris Olympics, water quality issues persisted, with elevated bacteria levels leading to canceled training sessions and concerns over athlete safety. Some athletes took preventative medication.
The mixed relay triathlon was held as scheduled on August 5, with tests indicating improved water quality meeting World Triathlon standards.
The Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee did not disclose details about Michel's illness but hopes to learn lessons for future triathlon events, emphasizing the need for clarity, certainty, and proper water quality testing to avoid unsafe levels of bacteria. The decision to withdraw athletes was made in consultation with the respective national triathlon committees, citing the health of athletes as the top priority.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: NPR, TIME, NYTimes, The Guardian, BBC, Reuters, USAToday, CNN, NYPost, Barron's , The Sun, Repubblica, Global Village Space, Il Messaggero, La Libre, Express, Innsalzach24.