One of the Olympic Games’ most glamorous competitors has been kicked out of the athletes’ village after being accused of distracting competitors with her skimpy clothing and consorting with other athletes.
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso was told to leave after officials said she had created an “inappropriate atmosphere” with her behaviour.
The pretty 20-year-old blonde, who lost her event on the first day of the competition, was seen walking around in the outfits she had chosen herself instead of the official outfits provided by the Paraguayan team leaders.
She was also spotted in the company of other athletes, allegedly distracting her teammates who were still racing.
Alonso checked into a hotel in the French capital and visited chic boutiques and restaurants, posting photos for her 500,000 followers on social media.
The swimmer was not allowed by her team to remain in the athletes’ village until the end of the Games
During her stay in Paris, she also visited Euro Disney, where she posed with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears in front of the Magic Kingdom castle.
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso clinks glasses of champagne at Euro Disneyland
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso has been removed from the official athletes’ village
Alonso allegedly ‘created an inappropriate environment’, leading to her removal
Alonso, pictured during the opening ceremony, has almost 500,000 followers on Instagram
The 20-year-old has since retired from swimming after finishing sixth in her only swimming event at the Games
Alonso (pictured left before her race) narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly
Your browser does not support iframes.
Paraguayan Olympic Committee officials decided to ban her from the company of other team members after being alerted to her behavior, which they deemed “distracting.”
It is customary for all athletes to stay until the end of the Olympic Games, when they take part in the lavish closing ceremony – and later, in the lavish celebrations in the host city.
The decision to let her leave early comes as a reaction to the anger of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, which told her she would have to stay in a hotel rather than in her shared accommodation in the athletes’ village, where competitors can relax between events.
In a statement announcing her departure, Paraguay Olympics President Larissa Schaerer said: “Her presence creates an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay.
“We thank her for acting according to instructions, as it was her own free will not to spend the night in the athletes’ village.”
During her stay in Paris, she also visited Euro Disney, where she posed in front of the Magic Kingdom castle wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse ears.
Alonso ran into Rafael Nadal (right) during the matches and shared a snap of the pair on X
The Paraguayan star started swimming at a young age and first competed when he was 11 years old
Alonso previously competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed due to COVID
Alonso, who announced her retirement from the sport after failing to reach the butterfly semi-finals, has since returned to the US, where she is studying at a university in Texas.
During a visit to the French capital, Alonso stayed at the chic Hotel Pastel, near the Arc de Triomphe, and visited many of the shops and museums that make Paris a popular tourist destination.
She visited the best French patisserie, Laduree, and posted a photo of the internationally renowned macaron cakes.
Luana also went on an extensive shopping spree at the flagship store of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent on the Champs Elysee and across the street at the headquarters of fashion house Louis Vuitton.
While she was still welcome at the Olympics, she also took the chance to watch her tennis heroes from the stands at Roland Garros, where she attended matches involving Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.
Other cheerful snaps on her Instagram account show her in front of the Eiffel Tower and the Hotel Les Invalides museum, where the tomb of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is located.
In an Instagram story on Sunday night, she confirmed that she flew to the United States
Alonso was eliminated when she finished sixth in the 100-meter butterfly.
She immediately announced her retirement from the sport without first telling her Olympic leaders, and told her social media followers that she had already made the decision before flying to France.
The swimmer has not commented on her sudden departure from Paris, but a photo on her Instagram shows her approaching a US border crossing.
After failing to qualify for her heat on July 27, Alonso announced: “It’s official now!
‘Swimming: Thank you for making me dream. You taught me to fight, to try, perseverance, sacrifice, discipline and so much more.
‘I gave you a part of my life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, because I’ve had the best experiences of my life. You’ve given me thousands of joys, friends from other countries that I’ll always carry in my heart, unique opportunities.
“It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.”
Alonso was one of the youngest swimmers to compete at the Olympic Games when she competed in Tokyo in 2016.