Belgium has pulled out of Monday’s in-doubt triathlon – with a member of their team hospitalised for four days after swimming in the Seine.
According to reports in the country Claire Michel has been infected with E.coli bacteria, which can cause a host of nasty stomach and intestinal issues.
The development will heap more embarrassment on Paris 2024 officials, as serious questions continue to be asked about the suitability of a river that has not been fit for human use for 100 years.
A practice session was cancelled on Sunday after rainfall in Paris pushed pollution in the water beyond permitted levels.
Organisers were due to make a call on whether the mixed relay would go ahead this morning – just hours before the event was due to start. Tomorrow has been pencilled in as a back-up day.
The Belgian relay team has forfeited the mixed triathlon, with Claire Michel in hospital
Michel has been infected with E.coli bacteria, believed to be from swimming in the Seine
The men’s triathlon, won by Britain’s Alex Yee, ended up being pushed back and both the men’s and women’s familiarisation sessions were cancelled earlier in the Games.
Levels of E. coli were deemed too high despite a £1bn clean-up operation. In a statement, the Belgian committee said it hoped that ‘lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions’. It added that Michel was ‘unfortunately ill and must withdraw from the competition’. Media outlet De Standaard said had been ‘infected with E. coli’.
At a press conference on Sunday, organisers did not share the latest levels of bacteria.
A statement issued by Team Belgium on Sunday night confirmed that Michel is ill
Jolien Vermeylen, who is also part of the Belgium team, complained about the water quality
Last week, Belgium’s Jolien Vermeylen said she had ‘felt and seen things that we shouldn’t think about too much’ while in the water, but later claimed her words had not been translated properly.
Around a month before the Games started tests from a monitoring group showed E. coli, which is linked to faeces and can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, sepsis and pneumonia, was 10 times higher than acceptable levels.
Paris 2024 has been contacted for comment.
