Triathlete in Seine River

Belgian triathlete Jolien Vermeylen voiced her concerns after competing in the polluted Seine River during the Women's Triathlon at the Paris Olympics. Despite assurances from organizers that the water was safe, she encountered debris and had ingested a significant amount of water during her 1500-meter swim, raising fears of illness due to high levels of E. coli, which were found to be ten times above acceptable limits. Vermeylen criticized officials for allowing the event to proceed in such contaminated waters, stating, "The Seine has been dirty for a hundred years, so they can’t say that the safety of the athletes is a priority. That’s bulls***!" The ambitious $1.5 billion cleanup project aimed to prepare the Seine for swimming events, but tests indicated ongoing pollution issues. Training events were previously canceled, and the men's triathlon was postponed due to water quality concerns. Athletes now await the fallout from their exposure to the river, with Vermeylen expressing hope she does not fall ill.