Paraguayan Swimmer Luana Alonso Expelled from Olympic Village in Paris
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso has been expelled from the Olympic Village in Paris, sparking controversy and a flurry of media reports. The 20-year-old athlete, known for her record-breaking performances in butterfly events, was asked to leave following allegations of creating an “inappropriate atmosphere” within her team.
The incident occurred after Alonso failed to qualify for the semifinals in the women’s 100m butterfly, missing out by a mere 0.24 seconds.
Reports from the Paraguayan Olympic Committee (POC) indicate that Alonso’s behavior, including sneaking out to visit Disneyland and socializing excessively with other athletes, led to the decision to expel her.
Larissa Schaerer, head of the POC mission, commented on the matter, saying, “Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay. We thank her for proceeding as instructed, as it was of her own free will that she did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.”
In response to the expulsion, Alonso took to Instagram to deny the allegations. “I just want to clarify that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere,” she wrote. “Stop spreading false information. I don’t want to give any statement but I am not going to let lies affect me either.”
Further complicating the situation were reports that Alonso had previously expressed a desire to represent the United States instead of Paraguay. These statements, allegedly made prior to the Games, resurfaced and added to the controversy surrounding her expulsion.
A report by the Paraguayan publication HOY quoted Alonso as saying, “I want to represent the United States more.”
Despite the turmoil, she used the opportunity to announce her retirement from professional swimming.
In a heartfelt message to her 310,000 Instagram followers, she wrote, “Swimming: thank you for allowing me to dream, you taught me to fight, to try, perseverance, sacrifice, discipline, and many more. I gave you part of my life and I don’t change it for anything in the world.”
Alonso clarified that her decision to retire was made long before the Paris Games, stating, “People, my decision was made a long time ago! It wasn’t because of the games! So nothing, I just have to thank everyone who always supported me.”
Following her departure from Paris, Alonso returned to the United States, where she is studying at Southern Methodist University in Texas. The POC confirmed that her exit was voluntary, despite the controversy.
Camilo Perez, the president of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, addressed the situation, saying, “I read that she wants to compete for the United States. There is no universality there. She came here as a Paraguayan. She has to train a lot more to represent the USA; her times have to be much better.”