Another athlete gets hospitalized following Olympics swim in Seine

(MENAFN) The Belgian triathlon team has been forced to withdraw from the mixed triathlon finals scheduled for Monday at the Paris Olympics following the hospitalization of athlete Claire Michel. The Belgian Olympic Committee announced that Michel's illness has led to the team’s forfeiture of the event.

In their statement, the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC) and Belgian Triathlon expressed dissatisfaction with the Paris Olympics organizers. They emphasized their hope that the situation would lead to improvements for future triathlon events and called for greater certainty for athletes and support personnel.

The statement confirmed that the decision to withdraw from the mixed relay was made in consultation with the athletes and their support team. “Claire Michel, a member of the relay team, is unfortunately ill and must withdraw from the competition,” the statement read.

Local media have reported that Michel, who has been hospitalized for the past four days, was diagnosed with an E. coli bacterial infection. Although she fell ill shortly after finishing 38th in the women’s triathlon event on Wednesday, it remains unconfirmed whether the infection was contracted from the Seine River’s waters, which have been criticized for their quality.

This incident follows a similar issue faced by the Swiss triathlon team, which had to replace triathlete Adrien Briffod with Simon Westermann after Briffod contracted a gastrointestinal infection. The Swiss team has also not confirmed if Briffod’s illness was linked to the Seine’s water conditions.

The Paris Olympics have faced scrutiny over several issues related to the event's organization and the quality of the competition environment, prompting concerns about athlete health and safety.

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