Gold medalist swimmer Ariarne Titmus appeared on the television show The Project and discussed the conditions in the athlete village. The local media outlet News.com.au reported this news.
Titmus won gold medals in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She achieved a consecutive Olympic victory in the 400-meter freestyle by winning this year’s Olympics. As she prepared for this year’s competition, Titmus commented, “But the village isn’t as glamorous as people think.”
She shared, “Our bed sheets got changed, I think, after the first night we were there, and then they didn’t get changed for the rest of the time we were there, so we were like living in filth.”
Furthermore, she shared a story about receiving only one roll for four days, which forced her to lie about the number of roommates to get more toilet paper.
Regarding her physical and mental strain in such an environment, Titmus replied, “I learned a lot from the last Olympics, so I knew what to expect physically and mentally this time.”
Other athletes have also voiced complaints about the conditions in the athlete village. Thomas Ceccon, the 23-year-old gold medalist in the men’s 100-meter backstroke from Italy, shared air conditioning issues in the village. Similarly, China’s 20-year-old gold medalist in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, Pan Zhanle, criticized the food given to the athletes.
Athletes have also complained about the cardboard beds adopted after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. CBS SPORTS gathered athletes’ feedback on social media, explaining,
“Interestingly, the cardboard beds themselves may not be the issue. Most complaints seem to stem from the uncomfortable mattresses.”
The conditions in the athlete’s village have caused controversy at every Olympic event, gaining global attention.
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