Charlotte Foster
Travel Trouble

Gold medallist sleeps in Paris park to protest "disappointing" Olympic village conditions

A gold medallist has been spotted sleeping in a Paris park in protest of the conditions in the Olympic village. 

Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon was captured sleeping atop a white towel in a park located inside the Olympic village by Saudi rower Husein Alireza. 

Alireza posted the photo to Instagram with the caption, "Rest today, conquer tomorrow."

The Italian swimmer, who won gold in the 100m backstroke, had already complained publicly about the accommodations in the Olympic Village, after he failed to reach the 200m backstroke final on Wednesday.

Since the commencement of the Paris Games, many athletes have spoken out about the conditions in the Olympic village, saying the beds are uncomfortable, the rooms are poorly air conditioned and the food is poor quality. 

“There is no air-conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad,” Ceccon said, according to The Sun

“Many athletes move for this reason: it’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s the reality of what perhaps not everybody 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. Here, I really struggle between the heat and the noise.”

Andy Anson, the chief of the British Olympic Association, also voiced concerns about how the quality of the village is affecting athletes, telling The Times of London, “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.”

A number of athletes, including the entire US women’s tennis team (with the exception of Coco Gauff) have left the village and searched for alternate accommodation for the duration of the Games. 

Image credits: Instagram/Panoramic/SIPA/SIPA/Shutterstock Editorial 

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travel trouble, Olympics, village, Thomas Ceccon