Olympic swimmer speaks out over 'lies' after being banned from athletes village for 'inappropriate conduct'
6 August 2024, 10:35
Swimmer Luana Alonso has spoken out following reports she was kicked out of the Olympic village, insisting she is the victim of "lies" and "false information".
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Alonso was accused of distracting other competitors by socializing and wearing skimpy clothing, with officials claiming her behaviour had created an 'inappropriate atmosphere.’
But in a statement on Instagram on Monday, Alonso said: 'I just wanted to clarify that I was never kicked out or expelled from anywhere, please stop spreading false information.
'I don't want to make any statement but I'm not going to let lies affect me either,' Alonso added alongside a photo of her enjoying a drink as the sun set.
The 20-year-old Paraguayan, who failed to qualify from the heats of the 100m butterfly, had been seen walking round in her own choice of outfits rather than the official uniforms provided by team chiefs and visiting luxury Parisian hotels and restaurants before posting the photos to her 600,000 social media followers .
Alonso announced her retirement from the sport after failing to reach the semifinals in the pool and has since returned to the US - where she is studying political science.
She announced she was retiring from swimming without first telling her Olympic chiefs, claiming she had made the decision before flying to France.
"Swimming: thank you for allowing me to dream, you taught me to fight, to try, perseverance, sacrifice, discipline and many more," she said.
"I gave you part of my life and I don't change it for anything in the world because I lived the best experiences of my life, you gave me thousands of joys, friends from other countries that I will always carry them in my heart, unique opportunities.
"It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon."
