August 05, (THEWILL) – Belgium has withdrawn from the Olympic mixed relay triathlon after one of its athletes fell ill following the women’s triathlon event.
Claire Michel, who competed in the River Seine on Wednesday, was taken to the Olympic Village Polyclinic for treatment before returning to her room.
The Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC) announced the decision on Sunday, citing concerns about water quality in the Seine. This withdrawal comes after organisers cancelled swimming portions of familiarisation sessions for the mixed relay due to high pollution levels.
The Seine’s water quality has been a significant issue leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Despite years of preparation and substantial investment in water treatment technology, elevated bacteria levels caused disruptions to the triathlon schedule earlier in the week.
The BOIC has called for lessons to be learned from this experience, emphasising the need for clearer competition formats and guaranteed training days. They stressed the importance of eliminating uncertainty for athletes, support staff, and spectators.
The mixed relay triathlon, a relatively new Olympic event first introduced in Tokyo, is scheduled for Monday. It involves four team members each completing a sprint triathlon. The withdrawal of the Belgian team is a setback for the event and raises further questions about the Seine’s suitability for Olympic competition.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
