Belgium Withdraws from Olympic Mixed Relay Triathlon Due to Claire Michel's E. coli Infection from Seine River

Aug 4, 2024, 09:10 PM

Belgium's team has withdrawn from the Olympic mixed relay triathlon competition scheduled for Monday after athlete Claire Michel was hospitalized with an E. coli infection. Michel, who has been hospitalized for four days, contracted the infection after swimming in the Seine River, which has raised concerns about water quality. The incident has led to criticism of Paris 2024 organizers for not addressing public health warnings about the river's unsanitary conditions. Despite the withdrawal, the mixed relay triathlon will proceed as planned, according to the organizers. Testing of the Seine's water quality will continue to determine the feasibility of upcoming events, including marathon swimming races scheduled for later in the week.