Paris 2024 Olympics... An infection with coliform bacteria after swimming in the polluted Seine River led to the withdrawal of the Belgian team

Weather of Arabia - The Belgian team withdrew from the mixed triathlon competition in the 2024 Paris Olympics after one of the competitors who swam in the Seine River fell ill yesterday, Sunday, which sparked a huge uproar about the quality of the water in the river. Claire Michel, 35, who competed in the women's individual triathlon last Wednesday, was ruled out of the race due to a bacterial infection.

After she was admitted to the hospital, it was found that she was infected with Escherichia coli bacteria, as a result of water pollution in the Seine River, and this pollution was the subject of much criticism before the start of the Olympic Games. Because Belgium was unable to replace Claire in its four-person team, it was forced to withdraw from the competition.

You may also be interested in:

A strange taste.. What is the relationship between the pollution of the Seine River and the illness of an Olympic champion?

The Belgian triathlon team has been forced to withdraw from the mixed triathlon finals at the Paris Olympic Games after one of their athletes, Claire Michel, contracted an E.coli infection.

The source of the infection is suspected to be the Seine River, where Michel took a swim… pic.twitter.com/wMgJ71PaPe

— Mark Chapman (@MC_IBTimesSG) August 6, 2024

Increased pollution due to heavy rains

Heavy rains in Paris have led to high levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the Seine River. Claire Michel was not the only case to contract the disease; Swiss triathlon player Adrien Briffault suffered a serious illness after participating in the men's individual triathlon.

• Competitions continue despite fears

Despite these events, Olympic organizers have confirmed that the race will continue and the mixed triathlon competition is scheduled to take place on Monday, with the swimming competitions also taking place on the Seine River.

• Statement of the Olympic Triathlon Committee

The Olympic Triathlon Committee's statement said: "The latest test results confirm that water quality levels in the Seine River at the triathlon site have improved in recent hours. Forecast analysis shows that water quality will be within acceptable levels for the World Triathlon." The statement continued: “As a result, the World Triathlon Federation decided to continue the competition this evening.”

See also:

Is Paris coffee made with polluted river water? Paris Olympics complaints affect coffee

Paris Olympics: Fears that athletes might be infected with a disease caused by rats

Sources:

Websites