Daniel Wiffen ‘rushed to hospital’ before pulling out of Olympic closing ceremony

Olympic champion swimmer Daniel Wiffen was "rushed to hospital" on Sunday ahead of pulling out of carrying the Irish flag during the closing ceremony in Paris.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Co Armagh man said he was treated for a "bug" and felt very unwell, but is now feeling better.

“Thanks everyone who reached out, I’m incredibly disappointed to miss out on the opportunity to be flag bearer last night.

“Yesterday, I rushed to hospital as I was very unwell with a bug that I am being treated for, and am feeling better now. I hope everyone enjoys the evening and I hope to be well enough to seeing everyone when we get home,” he said.

Thanks everyone who reached out, I’m incredibly disappointed to miss out on the opportunity to be flag bearer last night.

Yesterday I rushed to hospital as I was very unwell with a bug that I am being treated for, and am feeling better now. I hope everyone enjoys the evening…

— Daniel Wiffen (@WiffenDaniel) August 12, 2024

Double Olympic gold medallist Fintan McCarthy replaced Wiffen as the flagbearer and joined swimming bronze medallist Mona McSharry in the Stade de France at Sunday night’s closing ceremony.

Wiffen's illness comes after he took part in a 10km swim marathon event in the River Seine on Friday morning. Some athletes had pulled out of the event due to concerns about water quality.

Both Paris 2024 organisers and World Aquatics guaranteed the water quality met the thresholds set by the sport's governing body.

French authorities spent €1.4 billion on upgrading the city's sewage systems, promising the river would be clean for Olympic athletes to swim in.

However, water quality issues proved a headache during the triathlon events, with familiarisation sessions cancelled