The best athletes in the world are dealing with some of the worst Olympic Village living conditions in recent memory, according to British swimmer Adam Peaty.
When it comes to the food options inside the Village, Peaty — who won his sixth overall Olympic medal at this year’s Summer Games in Paris — told iNews “people are finding worms in the fish.”
“It’s just not good enough,” Peaty, 29, continued in a story published Tuesday, August 6. “We’re looking at the best of the best in the world, and we’re feeding them not the best. I just want people to get better at their roles and jobs. And I think that’s what the athletes are the best sounding board for.”
Peaty said he and his fellow Olympians have been “blindsided” by the inept culinary levels being presented to them.
“The catering isn’t good enough for the level the athletes are expected to perform,” he argued. “We need to give the best we possibly can.”
Peaty also criticized an initiative set forth by Olympics organizers, who aimed to have 60 percent of all meals served at the Games meatless and a third completely vegan.
“The narrative of sustainability has just been punished on the athletes,” Peaty said. “I want meat, I need meat to perform and that’s what I eat at home, so why should I change?”
Lest anyone think Peaty was being a primadonna, the three-time Olympian gushed about his previous experiences at the Games in 2016 and 2021.
“Tokyo, the food was incredible, Rio was incredible. But this time around, there wasn’t enough protein options, long queues, waiting 30 minutes for food because there’s no queuing system.”
Peaty insisted his complaints were made “for people to get better” and urged the organizing committee to pay attention.
On an optimistic note, Peaty said the 2024 Olympics were “definitely been the best Games in terms of fans engaged with it.”
“Never gonna have a perfect Games,” the swimmer acknowledged.
Prior to publication Peaty’s comments, a Paris spokesperson told iNews they were taking athletes’ feedback “very seriously” and would work to “ensure that the service runs smoothly.”
Once they were made aware of Peaty’s comment about worms in food, organizers said they found “no information to be able to confirm the specific allegation.”
Additionally, Team Great Britain said no complaints about worms in food had been made to members of their staff.
