Belgium’s Olympic committee announced on Sunday its withdrawal from the mixed relay triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This decision follows the illness of one of their competitors, Claire Michel, who swam in the Seine River during the women’s triathlon on Wednesday. The Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee stated in a press release that Michel “is unfortunately ill and will have to withdraw from the competition.” The mixed relay triathlon is scheduled to take place on Monday, with the swimming portion of the competition also set for the Seine.
While the statement did not provide details about Michel’s illness, it comes in the wake of concerns regarding the Seine’s water quality. Organizers had previously assured athletes of the river’s safety, claiming bacteria levels were within acceptable limits.
The Belgian committee expressed its hope that “lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games.” They emphasized the need for “a 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.”
This incident mirrors a similar situation involving Swiss triathlete Adrien Briffod, who also competed in the Seine on Wednesday and fell ill with a stomach infection. Although Swiss officials clarified that it was “impossible to say” whether the infection was related to the swim, they reported that no other delegations had reported similar stomach issues among their triathletes. The Swiss Olympic committee has yet to respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
