Paris Olympics 2024 ‘nightmare’ for some athletes

Paris: Paris Olympics 2024, hosted by a developed country like France, has proved to be a nightmare for several of athletes including the winner of two medals, Manu Bhaker and tennis player Sumit Nagal.

Paris is at top for many reasons but if you look at the scenes behind, it is one of despair. At first, the life and soul of the Games are the athletes. Several athletes are unhappy with the food provided at the Athletes Village and the venues they compete in. Manu Bhaker, who won two medals, told Millenium Post that the diet is inadequate.

“Lunch is frugal and the dinner is mostly boiled vegetables. There are days when I just manage with curd and dry fruits. I am just waiting to get back home and eat my mother’s home-cooked food,” said the winner of two bronze medals.

Apart from Manu, there are more athletes who have had to line up for food in the village, as if they are begging for food.

Sumit Nagal spoke of how lining up and to see food shortage is pathetic. “This is a developed country and they should have hosted the Olympics better,” said Nagal.

Speaking about transportation, buses do not come on time and sometimes the delays are unacceptable. In the name of zero carbon emission, the kind of ridiculous stuff, which the Paris 2024 organisers have indulged in is crazy.

Such was the outrage, athletes from Team USA quit the Village and checked into five star hotels. Coco Gauff, a prominent player said, athletes were sharing toilets, which was dirty. She revealed, for 10 athletes, there were two toilets. How can hygiene can be comprised?

Moreover, beds in the village have been made of cardboards, which has shocked the athletes. Not only is it uncomfortable, but the athletes feel this is disrespectful.

There is a possibility that perhaps, some athletes prefer the floor but there are no mattresses to be rolled out on the floor. France is under scrutiny, there is a threat perception at large, what with Russian athletes banned and the situation between Israel and Palestine so tense. Security is provided for their athletes. But if you look at the cops who man the city, they are rude. There is no way they communicate properly if you ask for information.

If you take volunteers, they are also not well-equipped to deal with inquiries.

The stone silence from their end is shocking. Even in countries where English is not the main language they use Google translator. But in Paris and in Chatoreaux, there is a big problem. As regards, overall security at Metro stations and other modes of travel, there is no security check in place. People can walk into these stations without being screened. When there is a threat, why no cops are there to screen is baffling.

The media has been left frustrated. The Main Press Centre has been built low-cost and even drinking water is a nightmare. Food stalls are absent and one has to got to malls to buy food. Even computer backup help is zero.

For those who have covered multiple Olympics, Paris 2024 is a nightmare. The way they have cut costs is not a joke!