PARIS: Three German swimmers fell ill after taking part in the open water races at the Olympic Games in Paris. However, it was not immediately clear whether the long-polluted Seine was responsible for their illness.
In a statement released by the German Olympic Sports Confederation on Saturday, the identities of the swimmers were not disclosed; however, Leonie Beck announced her condition on social media.
Beck, who finished ninth in the 10-kilometer race, posted a photo of herself on Instagram giving a thumbs up but looking sick.
“Vomited 9 times yesterday + diarrhea,” she posted, adding sarcastically: “The water quality of the Seine is approved,” accompanied by a check mark.
The German committee said in its statement that three of its athletes were ill.
“Two German open water swimmers were treated as outpatients (Friday) for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. They have been feeling much better since this morning,” the statement said. “Another swimmer with similar symptoms is currently being treated by the German team doctors.”
The other German swimmer in the women’s open water race was Leonie Maertens, who finished 22nd in the 24-strong field.
Germany was also represented by two swimmers in the men’s competition: silver medalist Oliver Klemet and eighth-placed Florian Wellbrock. It has not been announced which of the two is being treated.
Paris organizers and World Aquatics, the governing body for open water swimming, released test results showing that water quality was well within safe limits. There was a contingency plan to move the marathon swim to the Olympic rowing and canoeing pool if tests showed that levels of E. coli and other types of bacteria exceeded those limits.
Concerns about the Seine, where swimming has been banned for over a century due to bacteria-laden water, came to the fore after Paris organizers announced plans to hold the open water and swimming sections of the triathlon in the famous river that flows through the heart of the French capital.
Despite an extensive and expensive cleanup project, some measurements showed unacceptable levels of disease-causing bacteria, leading to changes in the triathlon schedule and the cancellation of one of the two planned open water training sessions before the men’s and women’s 10-kilometer races.
Several athletes became ill after the triathlon, but it was not clear whether their ailments were due to swimming in the Seine.
Although Beck apparently believes her illness was caused by the river, the German Olympic Committee said tests had shown it was “feasible” to hold the two races.
A total of 53 swimmers – 29 men and 24 women – took part in the open water races. Most said the cleanliness of the water was not a problem. Dutch women’s gold medalist Sharon van Rouwendaal even said she took a few sips of river water during the race when she felt parched.
“It was cold,” she said. “It was beautiful.”
Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, a gold medallist in the 800-metre freestyle, who was taking part in his first open water race, dismissed concerns about the cleanliness of the water. He said readings he had seen before the men’s race showed fewer E. coli bacteria in the Seine than would normally be found in a swimming pool.
The Paris Organising Committee said in a statement that it had “received reports of the athlete’s illness and wished him a speedy recovery.”
“At this stage, we are not aware of any link between the disease and the water quality of the Seine,” the statement said. “The water quality on the day of the marathon was classified as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ at all four test points and was well within the limits set by World Aquatics.”
World Aquatics has refused to comment to the Paris organizers.
