Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso, 20, has been removed from the Olympic Village in Paris following a controversy with her national delegation. The Paraguayan Olympic Committee (COP) cited Alonso’s presence as creating an ‘inappropriate atmosphere’ within Team Paraguay. This decision came after Alonso announced her retirement from competitive swimming following her elimination from the 100m butterfly event, where she finished sixth in her heat.The incident unfolded when Alonso, instead of supporting her teammates, visited Disneyland Paris and posted about her experiences on social media. Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, stated in an email that Alonso’s behavior was considered ‘a major act of indiscipline’. Alonso had initially been granted permission to leave the village but returned the following day, prompting officials to ask her to leave again.Alonso, who made her Olympic debut at 17 in the Tokyo 2020 Games, holds several Paraguayan records in butterfly events. She explained her decision to retire, saying, ‘People, my decision was made a long time ago! It wasn’t because of the games!’. The swimmer has since left Paris for the United States, where she plans to study political science in Texas.The incident has sparked debate in Paraguay and on social media about athletes’ conduct during the Olympics, with opinions divided between those supporting Alonso’s right to enjoy Paris after her elimination and others criticizing her for not adhering to the Olympic Committee’s rules.In other Olympic swimming news, the Mexican artistic swimming team made a strong debut in Paris, performing to Queen’s music and currently standing in 8th place overall. Meanwhile, Mexican divers Alejandra Orozco and Gabriela Agúndez have qualified for the final of the 10-meter platform event, scheduled for August 6.
Key points
- Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso was removed from the Olympic Village for creating an ‘inappropriate atmosphere’ after announcing her retirement.
- Alonso visited Disneyland Paris and posted on social media instead of supporting her teammates, which was deemed unprofessional by the Paraguayan Olympic Committee.
- The incident has sparked debate about athletes’ conduct during the Olympics.
- Alonso plans to study political science in the United States after leaving Paris.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reporting of Alonso’s age, with some sources stating she is 20 years old, while others mention she made her Olympic debut at 17 in Tokyo 2020, which would make her 21 in 2024.
