Olympics 2024 | Belgian triathlete clarifies E.Coli not the cause of her illness which led to team's withdrawal

A major talking point of Paris Olympics 2024 has been the quality of water in River Seine. Concerns over Seine river's less than desirable water quality along with the prevalence of E.coli put a question mark on whether it would be safe for the athletes to take a plunge in its waters.

Claire Michel, a triathlete from Belgium fell sick after swimming in River Seine for the individual triathlon event. As a consequence, the Belgian team was forced to withdraw from participating in the triathlon mixed relay event on Monday, August 5. It was earlier suspected that an E.Coli infection may have been the reason for her sickness.

However, Michel revelead a day after that E. Coli was not to blame for her illness.

"First of all, thanks to great medical care from both the @teambelgium medical team and the incredible volunteer doctors and nurses at the Polyclinic in the Olympic village, I am gradually doing better and I returned home to Belgium today. Blood tests showed that I contracted a virus (not E. Coli). After three days of vomiting and diarrhoea, which left me quite empty, I ended up needing more significant medical attention and spent the Sunday at the clinic", she wrote in an Instagram post.

"Thank you everyone for all the get well soon messages. I’m doing my best to get back to everyone and I really appreciate the love", she added.

(With Reuters inputs)