Up to 57 World Championship triathlon athletes fall ill and suffer from diarrhea after swimming through ‘human waste’ filled sea in Sunderland amid backlash against water companies dumping sewage into UK waterways
At least 57 people have fallen ill and suffered from diarrhea after swimming in the sea during the World Triathlon Championships in Sunderland, health bosses have confirmed.
About 2,000 people took part in the big tournament last weekend, where athletes swam in the sea at Roker Beach, which was awarded a prestigious Blue Flag award for its cleanliness just two years ago.
A test conducted by the UK’s Environment Agency just three days before the event revealed there were 3,900 E. Coli colonies per 100ml, which is almost 40 times higher than normal June readings.
E. Coli bacteria can cause severe stomach upset and life-threatening bouts of diarrhea.
But British Triathlon, which organizes official triathlons in the UK, said these results were not published until after the event took place and that the tests were conducted outside the area where the sea swimming event took place. reported the Guardian.
E. Coli levels at Roker Beach were reportedly nearly 40 times higher than normal last month
British health officials are now surveying the waters around Roker Beach after the horrific outbreak of diarrhea
Britons have previously been warned they could suffer the same fate as water companies pump raw sewage near beaches across the country
Top athletes criticized British triathlon for alleged carelessness, with a world champion, Jake Birtwhistle (pictured), claiming the race should have been canceled
It added that its own tests showed the waters had passed the required standards for the triathlon.
The outbreak of diarrheal disease comes as British beaches suffer a deluge of raw sewage discharged into bodies of water where people swim every day.
In 2022 alone, England and Wales experienced more than 380,000 discharges, or nearly 2,350,000 hours, of treated sewage and overflows of untreated sewage.
Water companies across the country are under fire for allegedly not doing enough to clean up their messes.
In June, Thames Water CEO Sarah Bentley resigned in dramatic fashion after the water company was heavily criticized for spilling raw sewage into the sea 22 times a day and was £14bn in debt.
Earlier this year, campaign group Surfers Against Sewage released an interactive map to warn Britons about the beaches to avoid due to high sewage levels.
At least 57 athletes have fallen ill after the massive event that took place in Sunderland last weekend
Roker Beach received a prestigious Blue Flag award from the Foundation for Environmental Education for its cleanliness just two years ago
About 2,000 people took part in the World Cup tournament in Sunderland last weekend
England and Wales experienced 380,000 discharges of nearly 2,350,000 hours of treated sewage and overflows of untreated sewage in 2022 alone. Affected areas include popular coastal destinations, beauty spots and once-celebrated rivers (stock)
Top Australian athlete Jake Birtwhistle, who has won several triathlons around the world, said in an Instagram post earlier this week:
“I’ve felt pretty bad since the race, but I guess that’s what you get for swimming in s***.
“I wasn’t feeling well in the individual race, so I decided to save myself for a good relay.
“Some plus points leading to Paris in two weeks, but the swimming should have been cancelled.”
Other athletes who said they were also at Roker Beach last weekend agreed, with one person commenting, “Now that explains why I had my head in the toilet Monday night after racing Sunday morning!”
Another said, “Still feeling queasy now, unimpressed.” Even worse for the elites who do this for a living.”
Data from The Rivers Trust shows that a 2022 sewer storm flood discharged 28 times in 2022 for a total of 370 hours into the Wear Estuary, near the triathlon event.
Northumbrian Water, which feeds this overflow, said these sewage discharges would not affect Roker beach as they were “intercepted” and carried away by a long sea outfall.
A spokesperson for Northumbrian Water added: ‘As of October 2021 we have had no discharges from any of our assets that could adversely affect the water quality at Roker or the neighboring Whitburn North bathing water.
“Both bathing waters have been rated ‘Excellent’ in the latest Defra classifications and the sampling so far in the current season indicates that this high quality is being maintained.”
UK Health Security Agency officials said it will examine samples from those who fell ill to determine the cause of the illness.
It said in a statement: ‘UKHSA’s north east health protection team is working with British Triathlon and Sunderland City Council following reports of diarrhea and vomiting in a number of participants who took part in the UK leg of the World Triathlon Championship Series in Sunderland.
“The organizers of the event have written to all participants to make sure they are aware and to advise anyone with symptoms to see a doctor. The risk to the general public is very low.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: ‘We routinely sample and monitor bathing water, including at Roker, to provide information to bathers and support our ongoing work to improve their condition.
Roker and Seaburn Beaches were both rated “Excellent” last year based on samples taken throughout the season from May to September over the past four years.
‘Temporary dips in water quality can have various causes, including heavy rainfall.
“We will continue to investigate sources of pollution and make improvements to ensure cleaner, healthier water for people to enjoy.”