Swedish swimmer Victor Johansson has withdrawn from the Paris Olympics over concerns about water quality in the Seine River, adding to a growing list of athletes pulling out of competitions in the French capital.
Victor Johansson, a Swedish swimmer representing his country at the Paris Olympics, has become the latest athlete to withdraw from competition due to concerns over the water quality of the Seine River. After falling ill from swimming in the river during Olympic competition, Johansson decided to withdraw from the men's 10-kilometer event on Friday.
Olympian Pulls Out of Competition Amid Seine River Water Quality Concerns
Johansson expressed discomfort while swimming in the river from the outset, adding that he knew of other swimmers who had also become ill. The withdrawal comes amidst fluctuating bacteria levels in the Seine River, which have affected certain events since the start of the Paris Olympics. Test swims ahead of the triathlon events had to be canceled due to high bacteria levels, and the men's triathlon was delayed by a day for the same reason.
Johansson is not the first athlete to withdraw from competition in Paris over concerns about the river. Belgium withdrew its entire team from the triathlon mixed relay on Monday after Claire Michel of Belgium withdrew from the contest after feeling sick. Michel later clarified that blood tests revealed a virus as the cause of her illness, not E. coli bacteria, considered the primary risk associated with swimming in the Seine.
Olympian Pulls Out of Competition Amid Seine River Water Quality Concerns
Belgium's Jolien Vermeylen reported feeling debris in the water during her 1500-meter swim in the Seine River at the beginning of the women's triathlon on Wednesday. Despite an investment of approximately $1.5 billion to upgrade the city's sewer systems for the Olympics, the Seine River remains a subject of concern due to its history of pollution and bacterial contamination.
Under world triathlon guidelines, E. coli levels up to 1,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters can be considered "good" and allow competitions to proceed. However, the Seine River has undergone daily water tests during the Olympics to monitor the situation.
Olympian Pulls Out of Competition Amid Seine River Water Quality Concerns
Johansson, 25, is a first-time Olympian in Paris. In 2019, he won gold in the men's 1500-meter freestyle event representing Sweden at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy. The withdrawal of Johansson and other athletes due to water quality concerns highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring safe and clean conditions for athletes competing in open water events.
