Italian swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Thomas Ceccon was spotted sleeping on a white towel under a tree after expressing his grievance regarding the conditions at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Saudi Arabia rower Husein Alireza posted a photo of the 23-year-old sleeping under a tree on Saturday on Instagram and tagged the location as public village.
The Italian swimmer, who won the Olympic gold medal in the ongoing edition in the 100m backstroke, had complained about the accommodation facilities publicly. Ceccon cited the lack of air conditioners and food quality as a reason athletes have been moving. He said, as quoted by The Sun:
"There is no air conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad. Many athletes move for this reason: it’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s the reality of what perhaps not everybody knows."
"It’s hard to sleep both at night and in the afternoon" - Thomas Ceccon
Ceccon added that his tiredness has been a major factor behind his under performance in the Olympic games in the 200m backstroke, stating, as quoted by New York Post:
"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."
Chief of the British Olympic Association Andy Anson also addressed the problems with food, as quoted by New York Post:
"There are not enough of certain foods: eggs, chicken, certain carbohydrates. And then there is the quality of the food, with raw meat being served to athletes."
