After years of dedication and sacrifice, the least the Olympic athletes deserved this summer in Paris was adequate facilities to satisfy their quest for glory.
Instead, they were told the exact opposite.
Over the weekend, American tennis star Coco Gauff announced that her entire team is the latest athlete to leave an Olympic village, a move that seems to do more harm than good, almost a week before the 2024 Games.
Gauff, 20, posted a candid TikTok video exposing the shocking conditions Olympians are forced to live in at the brand-new $1.6 billion stadium. The US Open champion was forced to share a bathroom with 10 of her compatriots, before five of them packed up and left.
The American tennis stars are not the first athletes to leave the Olympic Village this summer. And judging by the number of complaints, it is unlikely they will be the last.
Coco Gauff announced last weekend that her American teammates have left the Olympic village
The organizers of the Paris Olympics were determined to make these the most sustainable Games ever, prioritizing a green approach in almost every area.
However, this aggressive focus on environmental friendliness has led to terrible conditions for competitors striving for greatness in the French capital, meaning that few world records have been broken to date.
There is no air conditioning in the rooms, which makes them unpleasantly stuffy, and they are all equipped with standard cardboard beds.
American gymnast Frederick Richard even found himself forced to ship his own mattress to the village in Paris because there were so few beds for sale.
“Everybody complains about beds and stuff,” he said last week. “I already ordered my bed and had it shipped here. I had a comfortable bed from the start.”
Those who didn’t think ahead like Richard have no choice but to rest on a piece of cardboard as they chase their Olympic dreams.
Gauff, 20, posted a candid TikTok video exposing the shocking conditions Olympians are living in at the brand new $1.6 billion facility
Each room is without air conditioning, resulting in unpleasantly stuffy temperatures
They also all come with these standard cardboard beds, which cause a painful night’s sleep
And as if a hot and sore night’s sleep wasn’t bad enough, the food athletes are fed is reportedly 60 percent vegan. That could be a big problem for people on a meat-based diet trying to get in top shape.
To make matters worse, the Olympic Village was hit by a food shortage just one day after the opening ceremony.
According to the French magazine L’Equipe, essential products such as eggs and grilled meat had to be rationed for breakfast on Saturday, with some complaining about the meagre portions.
The shortage of eggs was seen as the biggest concern, as they are an important part of most athletes’ diets, as they contain a lot of protein and good fats, as well as various nutrients and minerals.
Australian swimming queen Ariarne Titmus is feeling exhausted at the Games. The three-time swimming champion has criticised the “ridiculous” conditions that she says have thwarted her bid to set a world record in the 400m freestyle on Saturday.
“It probably wasn’t the time I thought I could have, but living in the Olympic Village makes it difficult to perform,” Titmus admitted in an interview on Sunday.
‘It’s certainly not meant for top performances, it’s about who can really keep it together in their mind.’
The Olympic Village was also hit by a food shortage just a day after the opening ceremony
Vegan substitutes such as a ‘not dog’ (pictured) made from plant-based materials are offered to athletes
Retired Australian swimmer James Magnussen (pictured) says the eco-friendly, vegan mentality in Paris is ruining athletes’ chances of breaking records
These miserable conditions prevent Olympic stars from making history. Retired Australian swimmer James Magnussen, for example, has criticised the Paris Swimming Federation for undermining the quality of swimming competitions.
“The lack of world records comes from the whole eco-friendly, carbon footprint, vegan-first mentality rather than top performance,” Magnussen said.
“They had a charter that said 60 percent of the food in the village had to be vegan. The day before the opening ceremony, the meat and dairy options in the village were sold out because they didn’t expect so many athletes to choose the meat and dairy options over the vegan options.
“The caterer had to adjust their numbers and bring in more of that product because, surprise, surprise — world-class athletes are not on a vegan diet. They must have watched the Netflix documentary Game Changers and assumed everyone was the same. But let me tell you, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Roger Federer — none of those guys are on a vegan diet.”
In fact, athletes don’t even get VIP treatment when they go to an event.
Public transport is required to travel to stadiums, arenas, velodromes and more, meaning competitors will have already travelled a busy and hot route before they arrive at the Games.
Athletes are also forced to find their own way to events on busy public transport
Your browser does not support iframes.
Six South Korean swimmers have left the Olympic village and moved to a hotel near the swimming stadium to avoid long journeys on overheated buses, the president of the Korea Swimming Federation (KSF) said.
KSF President Chong Chang-hoon said the swimmers of the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay team have been moved to a hotel a five-minute walk from the Paris La Defense Arena, where the swimming competitions are being held.
Chong received complaints that the buses the swimmers used to travel to the arena had no air conditioning and that the windows were boarded up. The Olympic Village is almost 12 km from the swimming arena.
“We just want to make them feel a little more comfortable,” Chong said.
With the Games almost over, more and more athletes will flee the village to increase their chances of victory in the French capital.
The housing complex for this summer’s Olympic Games could be a ghost town by the end of the Games.