Swimmer Luana Alonso expelled from Olympic Village for ‘inappropriate’ behavior
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso has faced a tumultuous experience at the Paris Olympics. The 20-year-old was asked to leave the Olympic Village due to inappropriate behavior, according to a report by The Sun on Monday.
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Alonso, who announced her retirement from swimming after failing to advance in the women's 100m butterfly semifinals on July 27, was creating an unsuitable environment within Team Paraguay, stated Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee. Schaerer acknowledged Alonso’s cooperation in leaving the Village voluntarily.
Despite retiring, Alonso had remained in the Olympic Village. Paraguayan media reported that she spent time at Disneyland instead of supporting her teammates, which displeased the country's Olympic leadership. Additionally, The Daily Mail reported that her "skimpy clothing and socializing with other athletes" had become a distraction.
Alonso finished sixth in her heat with a time of 1:03.09, slower than her 1:00.37 finish at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. American swimmers Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh secured the first and second positions, respectively.
Following her event, Alonso announced her retirement on Instagram, thanking her supporters and apologizing to Paraguay. She shared an emotional message reflecting on her career, expressing gratitude for the opportunities and experiences swimming had provided.
"Swimming: thank you for allowing me to dream, you taught me to fight, to try, perseverance, sacrifice, discipline and many more things," Alonso wrote, accompanied by photos from the Paris Olympics. "I gave you part of my life and I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world."
Alonso had hinted at her retirement from the sport in an Instagram post last month, suggesting that the Paris Games would be her final Olympics. Before the Games, she gained attention for a tattoo of the Olympic rings on her hip. Alonso, who previously swam for Virginia Tech and later transferred to SMU, had a successful 2023, setting career bests in the 100m and 200m butterfly events and competing in the NCAA championships.
As of now, Alonso has not addressed her departure from the Olympic Village.
