Thomas Ceccon just found another way to attract the internet’s attention. The 23-year-old Italian swimmer was spotted sleeping outside under a bench in the Olympic Village, which he previously complained about.
Saudi athlete Husein Alireza posted the now-viral snap of Thomas fast asleep on what appeared to be a towel via his Instagram Stories over the weekend. “Rest today, conquer tomorrow,” Husein captioned the Story.
After winning the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke event at the Paris Olympics, Thomas claimed that the conditions within the Olympic Village were “bad,” according to The Sun.
“There is no air conditioning in the village, it’s hot, the food is bad,” the Olympian alleged, according to the outlet. “Many athletes move for this reason: it’s not an alibi or an excuse, it’s the reality of what perhaps not everybody knows.”
Italian gold medal-winning swimmer Thomas Ceccon sleeping next to park bench. He complained about the lack of A/C and noise inside the athletes village. pic.twitter.com/xQADZ37T4h
— SAINT (@saint) August 4, 2024
In a follow-up comment, Thomas pointed out that he was “disappointed” he “didn’t make the final” in the men’s 200-meter backstroke final because he “was too tired” due to the alleged living conditions he’s been facing.
“It’s hard to sleep both at night and in the afternoon,” the athlete said. “Here, I really struggle between the heat and the noise.”
Thomas isn’t the only one who has complained about the conditions in the Olympic Village. The chief of the British Olympic Association, Andy Anson, told The Times of London, “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.”
Other athletes have also spoken up about the living quarters. Australian competitor Ariarne Titmus reportedly said, “It probably wasn’t the time I thought I was capable of, but living in the Olympic Village makes it hard to perform. … It’s definitely not made for high performance, so it’s about who can really keep it together in the mind.”
The Paris 2024 Olympics organizers, however, released a statement, claiming that the village “is in constant liaison with the National Olympic Committees and stands ready to help with any further changes needed to catering or transportation services.”
“It is our priority to meet the performance needs of athletes from around the world,” the statement read. “That’s why we have worked with our suppliers to adapt our food service to the athletes’ needs. these changes have significantly improved the quality of the service. For example, the quantity of grilled meats on offer is now 900 grams per athlete, per day.”