Published on
Updated
Reading 2 min.
in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
According to a Belgian daily, triathlete Claire Michel was hospitalized for several days following her swim in the Seine last Wednesday, forcing her team to withdraw from the mixed relay event. Is the water in the Seine really that dangerous? Our medical director answers.
The quality of the Seine continues to fuel speculation. Prohibited during the first days of the Paris Olympics, due to insufficient quality and heavy rainfall, the river nevertheless hosted the first triathlon event last week, as this morning. Are the athletes right to be wary?
Athlete infected with E.Coli bacteria
The latest accusation was revealed by the Belgian daily The Standard Sunday, which claims that Belgian triathlete Claire Michel was hospitalized after swimming in the Seine on Wednesday, July 31. The official reason? The athlete was infected with the E. Coli bacteria.
“Claire Michel, member of the relay, is unfortunately ill and must withdraw from the competition (mixed relay triathlon). The BOIC and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for the next 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, the entourage and the supporters.“, writes the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee, strongly suggesting that water is the culprit here.
However, the Belgian authorities later clarified: the athlete had gone to the Olympic polyclinic to receive treatment, but was resting in his room.
She is not alone: on Saturday, another triathlete had declared his withdrawal from the mixed relay. Adrien Briffod, who had also taken part in Wednesday’s race, withdrew due to a gastrointestinal infection.
There are risks of swimming in dirty water
In a previous article we had already mentioned the risks of bathing in unclean water, whether it is from a river or even a pond.Swimming in cloudy or green water carries significant health risks” confirms Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
According to the doctor, a person who bathes in unclean water risks several things, including:
- Skin irritation, called dermatitis;
- Of the conjunctivitis with red and swollen eyes;
- Otitis, which are infections of the ear;
- A gastroenteritiswith diarrhea and vomiting in case of accidental ingestion of water;
- A respiratory infection;
- There leptospirosisa pathology transmitted by rats.
But the link with the Seine has not been formally established.
However, in the case of the Belgian sportswoman, there is no evidence that her condition is due to the quality of the Seine.Of course, what you have to avoid is drinking too much, which is difficult during the competition, but there are also plenty of reasons at the moment to have gastroenteritis.” confirms the emergency doctor who sees many summer cases.
“The origins are differential and not necessarily linked to bathing water.”
Officially, the day after the races, last Thursday, the International Triathlon Federation announced that the water met the standards in force on the day of the events. This was no longer the case this weekend, but the competition was able to resume this morning according to the analyses carried out. The saga of the Seine clean or dirty is not about to end.