Aussie swimming star James Magnussen fumes over cardboard beds and vegan meals at Paris Olympics, claims 'unsettled' athletes will miss out on medals
The Paris 2024 Olympic Village has faced a record number of complaints over uncomfortable beds and vegan meals and could cost athletes the chance at glory, according to former world champion James Magnussen.
Former Australian swimmer James Magnussen has hit out at Paris organisers over the poor living conditions in the Olympic Village, claiming the games have received a record number of complaints from athletes.
The 33-year-old claimed on the Matty & The Missile podcast the poor sleeping conditions, notably the cardboard beds, and inadequate dietary provisions could cost athletes their chance at a medal.
Magnussen told Fox League host Matty Johns from Paris: “There will be many athletes across the two weeks of competition who miss out on a medal… because they’re unsettled by this new environment.”
“We haven’t seen this at an Olympic games before. We haven’t had this amount of complaints about a village in Olympics history.”
The discontent has been so severe the American tennis team has left the Olympic Village for a nearby hotel.
US tennis star Coco Gauff highlighted the cramped conditions on social media with the caption “10 girls, two bathrooms”.
Australian water polo athlete Tilly Kearns has also voiced her frustration, calling the beds “rock hard”.
Magnussen and Johns have slammed the bed frames, reportedly made from styrofoam and cardboard as “ridiculous”.
“Modern-day athletes, sometimes they can be pampered, but I look at this and it is ridiculous,” Johns said.
“People have trained so hard for four years. They turn up here and they’re sleeping on cardboard beds? It’s just ridiculous.”
Another major point of contention has been the food offering as Magnussen reported the village ran out of meat on the first day.
“I joked last night about the amount of vegan options in the village, that they’re running out of meat,” Magnussen said.
“Well, an Australian heavyweight boxer has come out. He wanted lamb chops — (but there’s a) maximum two chops per person. The guy is 6'6", 110(kg) at best.”
Johns joked: “He’s come here as a heavyweight, he’ll go home as a middleweight.”
The apparent lack of adequate living conditions has taken a toll on athlete performance, according to Magnussen.
“We saw again tonight great results in the pool but as far as times goes, they’re well off those world (record) marks,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s a slow pool. It’s sleeping on cardboard beds… At the end of the day, it’s about who can overcome these setbacks, who can put these distractions aside.”