The most predictably nightmare of the Paris Olympics is coming to fruition quicker than anyone imagined. Athletes who swam in the Seine as part of the triathlon are now falling ill, a possible byproduct of spending extended time in the filthy river water — which organizers assured people would be safe for the games.
At this time there is no official confirmation that the Seine caused the illness, but the timing is extremely suspicious. Two athletes required medical attention following their events, with Claire Michel of Belgium was seen by doctors at the clinic in the athlete’s village, while Adrien Briffod of Switzerland reportedly fell ill with a “gastrointestinal infection.” No officials from either country are directly blaming the Seine, and organizers of the games are quick to defend the river.
“For the moment, there is no direct link between the Seine and any illness,” said Pierre Rabadan, the Paris deputy mayor in charge of the Olympics, said in a news conference Monday.
We do know that the river is a total mess. It’s been a mess for over 100 years, when swimming in the Seine was banned due to public safety in 1923. Over 1 billion Euro were spent on trying to trying to clean the river in the lead up to the games, only to see athlete who swam in it as part of the triathlon doubled over after the event, throwing up at the finish line.
It’s not uncommon for open water swimmers to swallow water while competing, and quotes from those who who competed are frankly disgusting. Jolien Vermeylen, a teammate of Michel who fell ill, was left disgusted by the water — and what was floating in it.
“It doesn’t taste like Coca-Cola or Sprite, of course. While swimming under the bridge, I felt and saw things that we shouldn’t think about too much.”
In case that doesn’t spark the imagination enough: It’s poop. She’s talking about poop. Feces have been present in the Seine for centuries, with E. Coli levels routinely being well above safe limits for swimming. This was heightened in the lead up to the games when protesters, angered by the amount of money France had spent on cleaning the Seine to no effect, were planning a mass-pooping event to defecate in the river in the hopes it would float into officials.
Rain exacerbates these problems, with runoff from city streets, parking lots, and parks often flowing into the Seine, bringing bacteria, oil, and animal feces into the river — contributing to the dangerous bacteria levels. This is what occurred in Paris earlier this week, when events and practices were canceled in the Seine due to concerns over E. Coli levels.
Countries knew the water was going to be an issue, regardless of what organizers told them. Several countries loaded athletes up with preventative antibiotics prior to arriving in Paris, hoping their immune systems would hold up against the eventual E. Coli. It’s unclear whether the currently ill athletes were on these kind of preventative regimens prior to arrival.
Time will tell how much of an impact the Seine has had on athletes at these Olympic games.
