Female Belgian sailor becomes first Olympic athlete to contract severe stomach infection after racing in Rio’s sewage-filled waters

‘Belgian sailor Evi Van Acker is unlucky enough to have become the first athlete competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro to be affected by the region’s grossly contaminated waters, which are known to harbor raw sewage, garbage and even human body parts.
Acker’s coach Wil Van Bladel told the media that the star sailor likely contracted a bacterium from the water during practice runs in July in Rio’s polluted Guanabara Bay. The illness has now evolved into a full-blown gastrointestinal infection that could potentially prevent the athlete from earning a well-deserved medal.’
Read more: Female Belgian sailor becomes first Olympic athlete to contract severe stomach infection after racing in Rio’s sewage-filled waters