Belgian triathlete Claire Michel is hospitalized in the Olympic Village clinical center with an Escherichia Coli infection. The infection most likely occurred during the 35-year-old’s participation in the women’s individual triathlon, which took place on July 31 in the waters of the Seine.
Following the news of Michel’s hospitalization, the Belgian Olympic Committee announced the withdrawal of its national triathlon team from the Games. Belgium, therefore, did not take part in the mixed relay today, Monday, August 5.
In last Wednesday’s race – won by Frenchwoman Cassandre Beaugrand – Michel had placed 38th. In recent days, an athlete who had participated in the men’s individual race, Swiss Adrien Brifford, also had health problems.
The Swiss was struck by a gastrointestinal infection and the Swiss Olympic Committee withdrew him from the mixed relay, replacing him with Simon Westermann.
These cases rekindle the controversy over the appropriateness of holding some of the Paris Olympics competitions in the Seine. In recent months, the river’s waters have been the subject of a major cleanup plan that, however, according to critics, risks being revealed as useless, especially given the recent rainfall.
In the past few days, some triathlon training sessions had been cancelled because pollution levels were found to be above the thresholds considered safe for the health of the athletes. Subsequent tests, however, had given results that allowed the races to be held in the river waters.
The Seine should also host the 10km long distance swimming race on August 9th and, among others, the Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri has expressed more than one doubt. “It’s a joke, it’s cold and the water is dirty,” said the Italian swimmer.
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