Two triathlon athletes from the four-member Portuguese team who swam in the triathlon competition in the Seine River have fallen ill amid concerns about the river’s water quality. A Belgian athlete had to be hospitalized after contracting E.coli in the Parisian river.
Vasco Vilaça and Melanie Santos have developed gastrointestinal infections after swimming in the Seine River on August 5 during his triathlon competition in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Los symptoms from Vilaça son more powerful than those of his female counterpart, according to the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP).
“His clinical condition is stable and the health team of the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) is taking all measures to monitor and provide treatment conservative to the athlete in the Olympic Village,” stated the statement of the COP published on August 7. “In recent days, athlete Melanie Santos has also developed similar symptoms, but less acutely,” the statement reads.
Belgium did not participate in the mixed triathlon relay on Monday in Paris after athlete Claire Michel fell ill and withdraw from the competition. Along with Michel, three other triathletes – of the more than 100 who competed in the men’s and women’s events on July 31 – fell ill in the following days, although it is not clear if the water was to blame.
With some exceptions, Swimming in the Seine has been prohibited since 1923 because the water is too toxic. Paris undertook an ambitious plan that included €1.4 billion in infrastructure improvements to ensure some swimming events could take place in the river.
The investment included the construction of a giant basin to capture excess rainwater and prevent wastewater from flowing into the riverthe renewal of sewage infrastructure and the modernization of wastewater treatment plants.
