The quest for Olympic gold came to an end for one Paraguayan swimmer—but when it was also reported that Luana Alonso was removed from the Olympic Village, the Olympian responded to clear up any “false information” circulating about her dismissal.
The 20-year-old athlete took to her Instagram Story on Monday, August 5, with a statement regarding the alleged drama at the Games. “I just wanted to make it clear that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere,” she wrote, per a Spanish translation.
“I don’t want to give any statement, but I’m not going to let lies affect me either,” she added.
According to the Daily Mail, Alonso became a “distraction” once she was no longer competing due to her alleged disregard for the Olympic Village’s rules.
“Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay,” Larissa Schaerer, the head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, said in a statement on Monday. “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.”
President of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee Camilo Perez also noted to a Paraguayan radio station, “We are a serious team that seeks to compete, not to go sightseeing.”
Alonso, while in Paris, shared glimpses of her travels via social media, from visits to the Eiffel Tower to selfies with other Olympians. She even spent time at Disneyland Paris.
A few days later, the COP confirmed she broke the rules laid out by the organization. “Leaving the Village is not normal,” said Perez. He classified the episode as “a major act of indiscipline.”
Alonso had an underwhelming run at the Olympic Games this year—she finished her heat in sixth place with a time three seconds slower than her personal best. She tearfully announced her retirement from the sport on television before sharing another emotional message via Instagram. She has since returned to the US, where she is studying at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
In an interview with Claro Sports, Alonso reiterated her emotions about retiring, saying, “I have been swimming for so long, 18 years, and I have so many feelings. Unfortunately, I made the decision to stop, and I am happy that my last race will be at the Olympic Games.” She also apologized to her country, Paraguay, for not meeting expectations.
The swimmer competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and holds multiple Paraguayan records in butterfly events. Her achievements have been a source of national pride and inspiration for young swimmers in Paraguay.
