India, Aug. 5 -- On Sunday, Belgium's Olympic committee pulled the team from the mixed relay triathlon after one of their athletes, Claire Michel, who swam in the Seine, fell ill. She participated in the women's triathlon in Paris last Wednesday.This event includes swimming in the Seine, where concerns over water quality have arisen. The committee did not specify Michel's illness but expressed hopes for better planning and clarity for future Olympic events to avoid uncertainties."The BOIC and Belgian Triathlon must unfortunately announce that the 'Belgian Hammers' will not be starting the mixed relay at the Paris Olympic Games tomorrow. The decision, like this communication, was taken in consultation with the athletes and their entourage. Claire Michel is unfortunately ill and will have to withdraw from the competition," the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee said in a joint statement."We hope 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," the statement read.Similarly, Swiss athlete Adrien Briffod, who also swam in the Seine, developed a stomach infection, though Swiss officials could not confirm if it were due to the river.

Despite the setback, the Swiss team intends to compete on Monday.Swiss Olympic Chief Medical Officer Hanspeter Betschart told CNN that no widespread gastrointestinal issues were reported among other athletes who swam in the Seine. "A survey of my colleagues from other countries has so far not revealed any accumulation of gastrointestinal illnesses among the athletes who started the individual race last Wednesday," Betschart said.The Paris Olympics 2024 organizers maintained that the Seine's water quality was "very good" on the day of the individual triathlons, with daily water quality tests conducted to ensure athlete safety."Paris 2024 wishes to remind everyone that the health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority. With respect to competitions held in the Seine, water quality tests are carried out daily, and the decision on whether to proceed with an event is taken by the International Federation World Triathlon, in coordination with Paris 2024, and based on the results and a range of (notably health) criteria," organizers said in a statement. "Water samples taken in the Seine on the morning of the individual triathlon events showed the quality to be at a level considered 'very good' by World Triathlon's criteria, according to results analysed and released the following day."According to CNN, Swiss silver medallist Julie Derron and British gold medallist Alex Yee praised the efforts to maintain water quality despite rain and potential contamination challenges.Despite the illnesses, organizers announced the mixed relay triathlon would proceed as scheduled on Monday. Heavy rains before the triathlons had raised concerns about water quality, but organizers determined it was safe enough for the races to proceed.Efforts to clean the Seine for the Olympics included a $1.5 billion investment and the construction of the Austerlitz basin, designed to manage rainwater and reduce pollution. However, rain can still cause E. coli levels to spike, as seen in late June when levels exceeded World Triathlon standards.

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