Paris Olympics: Belgium withdraws from mixed relay triathlon after athlete falls ill after swimming in River Seine

The Belgium mixed triathlon team on Sunday has forfeited after one of their athlete fall sick after swimming in river Seine.

Claire Michel, one of the athletes in the mixed relay team, unfortunately has to withdraw from the competition due to illness.

Claire Michel, who competed in the women’s triathlon Wednesday, “is unfortunately ill and will have to withdraw from the competition,” the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee said in a statement.

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The Belgian committee’s statement did not elaborate on Michel’s illness but it comes after concerns over the river’s water quality. Organizers had said that water quality tests done the day of the individual triathlon races showed “very good” bacteria levels.

Leading up to the individual triathlon events, water quality concerns prompted organizers to cancel the swimming portion of two test runs meant to allow athletes to familiarize themselves with the course and also to delay the men’s race by a day. Test swims in the Seine scheduled for Saturday and Sunday before the triathlon mixed relay were also canceled because of bacteria levels in the water.

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The Belgian committee said it “hopes that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games. We are thinking here of the guarantee of training days, competition days and the competition format, which must be clarified in advance and ensure that there is no uncertainty for the athletes, entourage and supporters.”

On Sunday night, representatives from World Triathlon and the International Olympic Committee along with Paris Games organizers and regional and weather authorities reviewed water tests. The results indicated the water quality at the triathlon site had improved over recent hours and would be within the limits mandated by World Triathlon.

With inputs from AP

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