The health of Olympic athletes has become a hot topic at the Paris Olympics after three German swimmers fell ill following their participation in open water races held in the Seine River. The incident has intensified concerns about the safety of swimming in the river, despite assurances from officials that the water quality met international standards.

The German Olympic Sports Confederation announced on Saturday that three of its athletes experienced symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after the race. Two of the swimmers were treated as outpatients and have since recovered, while the third swimmer remained under observation by team doctors. Although the athletes were not officially named, Leonie Beck, who finished ninth in the women’s 10-kilometer race, publicly revealed her condition on social media. Beck posted a picture of herself on Instagram, accompanied by a sarcastic comment about the water quality, which she said had been “approved” despite her severe illness.

The Seine, a river steeped in history and culture, was chosen as the venue for the Olympic open water swimming events after extensive efforts to clean up its notoriously polluted waters. Swimming in the Seine had been prohibited for over a century due to high levels of harmful bacteria, leading to a massive and costly cleanup operation ahead of the Olympics. Despite these efforts, some water quality readings before the event showed levels of bacteria that exceeded acceptable limits, leading to the cancellation of a practice session and adjustments to the triathlon schedule.

Paris organizers and World Aquatics, the governing body for the sport, have maintained that the water quality on the day of the race was within safe limits. In response to the reports of illness, the Paris organizing committee expressed concern for the athletes but emphasized that there was no established link between the illnesses and the Seine’s water quality.

The illnesses among the German swimmers have reignited debate over the decision to use the Seine as an Olympic venue. While some athletes, like women’s gold medalist Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands, dismissed concerns about the water quality and even drank the river water during the race, the experiences of others have raised questions about the adequacy of the safety measures in place.

As the Paris Olympics continue, the incident serves as a reminder of the challenges involved in hosting open water events in urban rivers. The health and safety of the athletes remain the top priority, and organizers are likely to face increased scrutiny as they work to ensure that future competitions are conducted under safe and sanitary conditions.