One of the athletes who has been vocal about the subpar accommodations is Thomas Ceccon, an Italian swimmer who has won gold and other medals at the ongoing games.
Ceccon, a 23-year-old athlete, has been outspoken in his criticism of the Olympic Village, describing it as lacking in basic amenities and comfort.
After his victory, he found himself facing problems with the Olympic Village.
The situation took an unexpected turn when Ceccon was spotted sleeping in a park near the Olympic Village.
He sought relief from the discomfort of his assigned quarters.
gold medallist sleeps in a park amid complaints about olympic village condi u30 0 90957600 1722837973
Ceccon sleeps in a park amid complaints about Olympic Village conditions. Image Credit: Instagram/huseinalireza
A fellow athlete, Husein Alireza, a Saudi rower, captured the scene on his Instagram account.
The photo shows Ceccon curled up on a white towel under a tree, next to a park bench.
In a recent interview, Husein Alireza shared his disappointment, stating, “There is no air conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad.”
He further explained, “Many athletes move for this reason: it’s not an alibi or excuse, it’s the reality of what perhaps not everyone knows.”
gold medallist sleeps in a park amid complaints about olympic village condi u30 0 07278000 1722837973
Image Credit: Getty
“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.
“Usually, when I’m at home, I always sleep in the afternoon: here I really struggle between the heat and the noise,” he concluded.
Officials clarify the photo of the gold medallist sleeping in a park
The swimming federation in Italy said that the video of Ceccon sleeping in the park was just him taking a nap during the day.
They said it was not related to his earlier complaints about the problems in the Olympic Village.