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The new Olympic champion in the 100-meter backstroke, who gained attention after criticizing the living conditions in the village, does not understand the barrage of reactions he caused, as he confided. Madame Figaro At Maison Omega, the day before returning to Italy.
Everything seemed to focus on him. Her model figure, first of all, made her the sex symbol of the Paris Olympics. His performance then saw him win a gold medal in the 100m backstroke on Monday, July 29, and a bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay. And finally, his criticisms regarding the living conditions of the Olympic village.
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“I saw everyone talking about it, but it’s true. everyone told me it was the worst (Olympic Village, editor’s note) of all time. It is not so serious, but the conditions are not very good for swimmers or athletes in general,” he assures the microphone. Madame Figarowho met him this Monday, August 5, at Maison Omega, the official timekeeper of the Olympics.
No air conditioning, bad food…
The Italian athlete, the 100m backstroke and 4x100m freestyle relay world record holder, particularly criticized the heat and noise of the Olympic village, which prevents him from sleeping properly, he accuses. He mentioned this especially after his defeat in the 200 meter backstroke. “I’m disappointed not to qualify for the final, but I was too tired,” he explained. Sun . It’s hard to sleep, both at night and during the day (…), I really struggle with the heat and the noise. There is no air conditioning in the village, it is hot, the food is bad. Many athletes leave for this reason. it’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s a reality that probably not everyone knows.” Like him, other athletes complained about the quality of the food or the extremely low protein content; the British team even brought its own chef.
Mysterious sleep
The criticisms, which prompted a flurry of press articles and reactions on social media, but a few days later gave rise to a series of hypotheses. Saudi rower Hussain Alireza then posted a short video on Instagram of Tomas Secco sleeping on the ground at the foot of a bench in the park of the Olympic Village. Immediately, hasty conclusions are drawn: the athlete sleeps on the grass because he considers it more comfortable than his cardboard bed, newspapers and Internet users agree.
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“Fake news,” competes Hussain Alireza, still on Instagram. “I only went to the park after my relay event and slept for an hour,” says a visibly amused Thomas Secco. I don’t know why it went viral.” A controversy that the athlete intends to leave behind him soon after returning to Italy. In a program? “Sleep in my bed, see my family and go on vacation.”
Source: Le Figaro
