Swimmer Responds to Claims She Was ‘Removed’ From Olympic Village – Hollywood Life
The quest for Olympic gold got here to an finish for one Paraguayan swimmer—however when it was additionally reported that Luana Alonso was faraway from the Olympic Village, the Olympian responded to clear up any “false information” circulating about her dismissal.
The 20-year-old athlete took to her Instagram Story on Monday, August 5, with an announcement concerning the alleged drama on the Games. “I just wanted to make it clear that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere,” she wrote, per a Spanish translation.
“I don’t want to give any statement, but I’m not going to let lies affect me either,” she added.
According to the Daily Mail, Alonso turned a “distraction” as soon as she was not competing due to her alleged disregard for the Olympic Village’s guidelines.
“Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay,” Larissa Schaerer, the top of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, stated in an announcement on Monday. “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.”
President of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee Camilo Perez additionally famous to a Paraguayan radio station, “We are a serious team that seeks to compete, not to go sightseeing.”
Alonso, whereas in Paris, shared glimpses of her travels through social media, from visits to the Eiffel Tower to selfies with different Olympians. She even frolicked at Disneyland Paris.
A couple of days later, the COP confirmed she broke the principles laid out by the group. “Leaving the Village is not normal,” stated Perez. He categorized the episode as “a major act of indiscipline.”
Alonso had an underwhelming run on the Olympic Games this yr—she completed her warmth in sixth place with a time three seconds slower than her private finest. She tearfully introduced her retirement from the game on tv earlier than sharing one other emotional message through Instagram. She has since returned to the US, the place she is learning at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
In an interview with Claro Sports, Alonso reiterated her feelings about retiring, saying, “I have been swimming for so long, 18 years, and I have so many feelings. Unfortunately, I made the decision to stop, and I am happy that my last race will be at the Olympic Games.” She additionally apologized to her nation, Paraguay, for not assembly expectations.
The swimmer competed within the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and holds a number of Paraguayan data in butterfly occasions. Her achievements have been a supply of nationwide delight and inspiration for younger swimmers in Paraguay.