Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso, who captured attention with her early retirement and social media presence, finds herself at the center of controversy for allegedly causing disruptions within the Olympic Village. At just 20 years old, Alonso’s departure from the Olympics has drawn significant criticism and media attention.
Despite her impressive social media following of nearly 500,000 on Instagram, Alonso’s recent actions have overshadowed her athletic achievements. After competing in the 100m butterfly event and being eliminated in the first round, she has faced scrutiny from the Paraguayan Olympic Committee (COP), which requested her removal from the Olympic Village due to concerns about her behavior and interactions.
Larissa Schaerer, the head of the COP delegation, revealed that Alonso notified her of her intention to leave the athletes’ village after her competition and stay in a hotel until her return on July 29. “She competed on the 27th, and after her event, she announced her withdrawal. Neither we nor her coach were informed beforehand,” Schaerer shared with Radio Monumental 1080 AM in Asunción.
Luana Alonso causing issues for Paraguay at Olympics
Although Alonso’s request to leave was approved and formalized in writing, complications arose when Schaerer spotted her in casual attire within the Olympic Village. On July 28, Alonso was seen departing the village, claiming she was delivering headphones to another athlete.
Schaerer had to remind her that, as a former member of the delegation, she was no longer authorized to access the area. Alonso had also reportedly rescheduled her flight to August 3 without informing her coach.
Now back in the United States, Alonso continues to make headlines with her outspoken criticism of athlete support and her ambitious goal of becoming a future Minister of Sports. Schaerer noted that Alonso had struggled to meet high-performance standards, as reported by her coach. Her performance and adherence to training protocols will be assessed after the Olympics.
