A Paris 2024 athlete who apparently left the Olympic Village after creating an 'inappropriate' environment is said to have made a controversial admission long before appearing at the Games.
Luana Alonso shared a post on Instagram on Sunday (August 4) to indicate she had flown back to the United States after appearing at this year's Olympics, where she swam for Team Paraguay.
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Alonso didn't manage to qualify for her 100 metre semi-final last week, but she seemingly remained at the Olympic Village until receiving 'instructions' from Paraguay’s Olympic chief, Larissa Schaerer.
In a statement addressing Alonso's departure, Schaerer, who represented Paraguay at the 1992 Olympics, said: “Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay.
"We thank her for proceeding as instructed, as it was of her own free will that she did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.”
Schaerer didn't elaborate on exactly what kind of behavior had led to Alonso leaving the village, but it has since emerged that the swimmer allegedly said she didn't want to represent Paraguay long before she appeared in Paris.
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The claims come from a report by the Paraguayan publication HOY, which quotes Alonso as saying: "I want to represent the United States more."
Alonso qualified for the 2024 Olympics through the universality system, which is intended to increase the diversity of nations taking part in the Games.
The Olympics website explains that Universality Places are available in certain sports for nations with traditionally small delegations.
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Ahead of her appearance at the Olympics, Alonso was further quoted as saying: "They threaten me that they are going to publish a statement, that I am going to leave because of universality.
"If I support my sport it is thanks to my sponsors, they want to humiliate me and say 'it is not a big deal that you are leaving because of universality'."
Her alleged comments are said to have come after Alonso experienced tension about qualifying for the World Aquatics Championships.
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"Instead of supporting and saying 'damn, we trust the athletes', not like 'you're going for the World Cup, we don't care', that's why it's not a pleasure to represent Paraguay and if it were up to me, I would go back to college," she allegedly continued.
Alonso lives in the United States and attends the Southern Methodist University near Dallas, Texas.
Camilo Perez, the president of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, responded to the comments attributed to Alonso in a report from AS Sport.
Perez said: "I read that she wants to compete for the United States.
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"There is no universality there. She came here as a Paraguayan. She has to train a lot more to represent USA, her times have to be much better."
After news about her leaving Paris came to light, Alonso shared a statement to say she was 'never kicked out or expelled' from the Games, adding: "Please stop spreading false information."
UNILAD has reached out to Alonso for clarification on the comments.
Emily Brown