Belgium withdraws from mixed relay triathlon after Claire Michel falls ill while swimming in the Seine

PARIS — Belgium’s Olympic committee announced Sunday it will withdraw its team from the mixed relay triathlon at the Paris Olympics after one of its competitors swimming in the Seine River fell ill.

Claire Michel, who competed in the women’s triathlon on Wednesday, “is unfortunately ill and will have to withdraw from the competition,” the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee said in a statement.

The mixed relay triathlon is scheduled for Monday, with the swimming portion of the competition also to be held on the Seine. The statement gave no further details about Michel’s illness, but it comes after concerns were raised about the quality of the river’s water. Organisers had said bacteria levels in the river were at a level considered safe for athletes.

The Belgian committee hopes that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games. We are thinking about 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 athletes, the environment and fans.”

Swiss authorities said Saturday that triathlete Adrien Briffod, who also competed in the Seine on Wednesday, had suffered a stomach infection, but said it was “impossible to say” whether it was related to swimming and that other delegations had told them none of their triathletes had reported stomach problems.

The Swiss Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.