I haven’t written a blog in a while, so I thought I’d start with a topic as dramatic and controversial as an episode of Game of Thrones (minus the killing). Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Paris 2024 Olympics are currently underway. I’ve decided to focus on something I Definity wouldn’t have expected from with the Olympics being in Paris. Sub-par food!
One thing you would think Paris would do well is food, but they seem to have also failed here. These athletes need to ensure they perform at their absolute best. They have trained all they can and need plenty of good-quality sleep and nutritious food. Giving these athletes cardboard beds and subpar-quality food, and not enough of it, was never going to go down well, even if it is in the name of sustainability.
Sure, you’ve got Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen (AKA the muffin man) who is obsessed with the chocolate muffins at the Olympic village. Other athletes who have tried them have agreed…but I’m sorry, you cannot sustain yourself to perform at an Olympic level on chocolate muffins alone (as much as you may wish it). Check out his hilarious TikToks, here, which document his love affair with these muffins!
Lack of quality Nutrition
Some complaints coming from athletes include a lack of protein options, which is worrying because protein is essential for the repair of muscles. The organisers of the Paris Olympics pledged to make 60% of all meals contain no meat. There are meat-free protein sources, such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, tofu. Eggs, and dairy, as long as the meal isn’t plant-based (vegan), which is what 1/3rd of the meals are. Athletes require a lot more protein than the average person, and athletes are saying these needs aren’t being met. Some countries such as team Great Britain actually brought in their own chef to ensure their athletes are being fed well enough to complete at their best.
Disorganised
Also, there seems to be no queuing system, leading to long lines. For me after I do a lot of physical activity I need my food like yesterday. Imagine a food hall full of hungry athletes waiting for food! Quality is another issue; British swimmer, Adam Peaty, claimed athletes found worms in the fish. Some videos of the athletes’ plates also show how unappetizing they look. All in all, it seems to be a completely terrible situation!
Some people might think, “They should stop complaining and be happy they are there”. However, if you’ve given up your life to train for this moment, you don’t want to fail because your body wasn’t correctly fuelled. If the Olympics in Tokyo and Rio could have athletes raving about how good the food was, why couldn’t Paris?
Irish Pride
On a lighter note, Irish athletes are making our little country proud with six medals so far, three gold and three bronze, in gymnastics, rowing, and swimming.