In what came a shocking scene to the sports lovers across the world Olympic gold medalist Thomas Ceccon was spotted sleeping in a park inside the Olympic Village, according to the New York Post. Saudi rower Husein Alireza shared a photo of Ceccon fast asleep on a white towel under a tree on Saturday, tagging the location as inside the Olympic Village.
Ceccon, an Italian swimmer who won gold in the 100m backstroke, had previously complained about the accommodations in the Olympic Village. The facilities have been widely criticized throughout the Paris Games. After failing to reach the 200-meter backstroke final on Wednesday, Ceccon voiced his frustrations. "There is no air conditioning in the village, it's hot, the food is bad," he told 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," he said. "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."
The Italian team declined additional comment to The Sun. The IOC has faced criticism for the lack of air conditioning and the use of cardboard "anti-sex" beds in the Olympic Village, measures intended to help the environment, along with poor food quality.
"There are not enough of certain foods: eggs, chicken, certain carbohydrates," Andy Anson, the chief of the British Olympic Association, told The Times of London. "And then there is the quality of the food, with raw meat being served to athletes."
Several athletes, including the entire U.S. women's tennis team (excluding Coco Gauff), left the village for alternate lodging due to the conditions.
The recyclable beds have been a joke since their introduction in 2020 because they are only meant to support one person, leading to jokes about their durability.
Matilda Kearns of the Australian water polo team posted that she "already had a massage to undo the damage" from the cardboard mattress. Perhaps she should try sleeping on the ground for a more restful night.
The Indian contingent also faced discomfort due to the soaring temperatures and lack of cooling systems in the Olympic Village. The Indian sports ministry intervened by sending 40 portable air conditioners to the village, according to PTI. This initiative, coordinated with the Indian Olympic Association and the French Embassy in Paris, has made the athletes more comfortable, and they have expressed their gratitude to the ministry.
