The 2024 Paris Olympics has been more than eventful so far. For better and for worse, depending on whom you ask. However, for some of the Olympians on the inside, the conditions of the Olympic Village itself appear to be more than a little lackluster. Thomas Ceccon, representing Italy as one of their best swimmers, won a gold medal for his performance during the 100m backstroke event.
Ceccon also would rather sleep in a nearby park than in the Olympic Village. Husein Alireza, a fellow Olympian, posted an Instagram Story. It featured Ceccon casually sleeping at a park close to the Olympic Village. Per The Sun, Ceccon spoke out about the conditions of the infamous Village.
"There is no air conditioning in the village, it's hot, the food is bad," Ceccon began. "Many athletes move for this reason: it's not an alibi or excuse, it's the reality of what perhaps not everyone knows. I'm disappointed that I didn't make the final but I was too tired. It's hard to sleep both at night and in the afternoon."
Ceccon is accustomed to more comfortable conditions, and he sought to sleep somewhere where he felt he could best achieve restfulness. "Usually, when I'm at home, I always sleep in the afternoon: here I really struggle between the heat and the noise."
An Olympic Athlete Opts To Sleep Outside Rather Than In The Olympic Village
Ceccon isn't the only one to articulate dissatisfaction with the Olympic Village. Indeed, Coco Gauff admitted that the entire female tennis team left the Village, too. Gauff stated it was "too cramped." Even Andy Anson, chief of the British Olympic Association, spoke out about what he felt were inadequate dietary arrangements.
"There are not enough of certain foods: eggs, chicken, certain carbohydrates. And then there is the quality of the food, with raw meat being served to athletes," Anson clarified.
You know it's a problem if special chefs had to be called in. All this time, I guess I naturally assumed Olympians were given a top-dollar spread when it came to food. With so many Olympians showing up, you'd think the association would be better prepared to feed them!
