Belgium has unfortunately had to withdraw from the mixed relay triathlon at the Paris Olympics due to an unexpected event. Claire Michel, one of their athletes, has fallen ill.
Indeed, Claire Michel has unfortunately been taken sick and won’t be able to participate further. A setback indeed, considering she had successfully competed in the women’s triathlon on Wednesday, even with apprehensions about the water quality in the Seine River. She did an amazing job and was 38th in the race.
Now Time Magazine is reporting that a Belgian newspaper has stated Michel is in the hospital and infected with E.coli.
Interestingly, despite Belgium’s withdrawal, the Paris 2024 organizers confirm that the triathlon is still to occur at 8 a.m. local time. The specifics of what caused Michel’s illness have not been detailed, but there were prior concerns about the water quality in the Seine River.
Belgium’s triathlon mixed relay team has withdrawn from Monday’s event after one of its athletes who swam in the Seine River on Wednesday became ill. The athlete, Claire Michel, was taken to a clinic in the Olympic Village for treatment. https://t.co/KYKkzTDCtU
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 5, 2024
The World Triathlon, the International Olympic Committee, and Olympic organizers, in conjunction with regional and weather authorities are responsible for certifying the water quality is safe for the competition. Under their standards, E. coli levels up to 1,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters are considered “good”. This means the competition can proceed. And to ensure safety, daily water tests are being conducted in the Seine.
The water quality of the Seine has been under a swim ban since 1923. For some reason, the Olympic committee thought it would be a good idea to host a major event on the heavily polluted river.
Officials claimed the water quality would be fine but clearly they were wrong. Now, one athlete is in the hospital and another is sick.
