Paris Olympic Village Has Turn Into Real Nightmare For Athletes

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) Baku. Azerbaijan. August 4. The Paris Olympics continue to face criticism from the media, with even local publications unable to remain on the sidelines, Trend reports.

For instance, the French news website mostraak has published an article titled "The Olympic Village in Paris Has Turned into a Survival Camp for Athletes," which discusses the "challenges" of the Olympic experience for participants in international competitions.

A Furnace Without Air Conditioning

With temperatures around 40°C, athletes have no choice but to melt on the spot, both literally and figuratively. And don't count on air conditioning to save them! In a display of great ecological wisdom, the organizing committee decided to overlook this important "accessory." The result: foreign delegations, concerned for their athletes' well-being, had to make a last-minute decision to bring in hundreds of portable air conditioners. A true logistical ballet worthy of the greatest opera buffa.

Cardboard Beds

The famous cardboard beds, intended for recycling after the Games, are a hot topic in the Olympic Village. Some athletes are complaining about the discomfort, like Spanish handball player Liza Chapchet, who finds her bed "too hard," or Polish fencer Martyna Swatowska-Wenglarczyk. An Indian table tennis player even says he had trouble "sleeping peacefully" during the first nights because of these "cardboard" beds.

But others, like Danish swimmer Signe Bro, appreciate the eco-friendliness of these beds made from recycled materials, such as fishing nets. The advantage, she humorously points out, is that we won't be left with "10,000 beds on our hands after the Games." In short, these famous beds are polarizing, but one thing is certain: they leave no one indifferent...

Restoration Leaving a Bitter Aftertaste

The giant village dining hall, touted as "the largest restaurant in the world" with daily meals for 40,000 people, seems to be struggling to satisfy the taste buds of 15,000 hungry athletes. Despite the presence of star chefs, many complain about the lack of flavor and seasoning in the dishes. "This is not quite French cuisine," laments gymnastics star Simone Biles.

Worse still, the shortage affects some very popular items, such as eggs, grilled meat, and starchy foods, forcing chefs to ration them. Teams like Great Britain even had to urgently bring in their own chefs! As a result, athletes like German swimmer Lukas Matzerat say they were hungry during the first few days because the portions were too small.

The organizing committee and their service provider, Sodexo, claim to have responded by increasing quantities and meeting demand. But the damage is already done. Due to shortages, flavor disappointments, and endless queues, many athletes are now avoiding the dining halls, opting instead for food delivery or cooking on-site. A heavy blow to the reputation of French gastronomy, which was supposed to be one of the highlights of these Games...

An Ambiguous Start

Due to the stifling heat in rooms without air conditioning, cardboard beds that are not properly separated, and unsatisfactory food, the Paris Olympic Village has not been unanimously praised by athletes. An ambiguous start for these "sustainable development" Olympics, where good ecological intentions sometimes clash with the reality on the ground.

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