The Paris Olympics are facing mounting criticism after three German swimmers fell ill following their participation in open water races in the Seine River. The athletes, who experienced severe gastrointestinal symptoms, have since recovered, but the incident has raised concerns about the safety of the river, despite efforts to clean up its polluted waters ahead of the games.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation confirmed that three of its swimmers became sick after the event, with two treated as outpatients on Friday and a third swimmer still receiving medical care. Although the confederation did not disclose the names of the affected athletes, Leonie Beck, who placed ninth in the women’s 10-kilometer race, shared her experience on Instagram. Beck posted a photo of herself looking unwell and sarcastically commented on the water quality in the Seine, which she implied was responsible for her condition.
The Seine River, which had been off-limits to swimmers for over a century due to high levels of bacteria, was selected as the venue for the Olympic open water events as part of a broader effort to restore the river’s reputation. However, the illnesses reported by the German swimmers have cast a shadow over these efforts, raising questions about whether the river was truly safe for competition.
Paris organizers and World Aquatics, the international governing body for open water swimming, released testing data indicating that the water quality met safety standards on the day of the race. However, the fact that several athletes fell ill has led to skepticism about the adequacy of these standards.
The Paris organizing committee issued a statement expressing concern for the affected athletes but emphasized that there was no established link between the illnesses and the Seine’s water quality. “The water quality was considered ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ across all testing points on the day of the marathon,” the statement said.
The incident has reignited debate over the use of the Seine as a venue for Olympic events, with some questioning whether the cleanup efforts were sufficient to ensure the athletes’ safety. As the investigation into the cause of the illnesses continues, the situation serves as a reminder of the challenges involved in hosting open water events in urban environments, particularly those with a history of pollution.
