Olympic Village Rules: How Team USA Is Expected to Act in Paris

So far in Paris, the athletes representing America are asserting their dominance with the highest medal count (78) overall, and they’re inching toward overtaking China in the gold category. Simone Biles’ triumphant return to gymnastics was a proud moment for the nation after an unexpected case of the “twisties” in Tokyo in 2021. Still, she’s not the only Team USA superstar sports enthusiasts are rooting for this summer. As the action continues to play out overseas, curiosity around the Olympic Village rules athletes are expected to follow continues to rise – particularly after the intense restrictions implemented at the last Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic .

The first time the Olympics built accommodations for athletes was a century ago, in 1924. Back then, the housing was no more than small wooden huts to rest in. These days, the apartments are surrounded by amenities that make the experience of Biles and her contemporaries far more relaxing and glamorous. “We have a full sports med clinic with 22 providers, massage therapy, cold tubs, the works. We have a resource center, an athlete-only space, which is really for them to hang out, decompress and mingle with other athletes. There are big screens for watching the competition when it starts,” Team USA Olympic Village Director Daniel Smith told People .

2024’s Olympic Village Rules Are Slightly Different After COVID

Also near their apartments, athletes have access to mental health providers and sports dietitians who can providing holistic care, nutritional supplements and delicious smoothies. “For the first time, we have a Team USA-only strength and conditioning space here in the Village,” Smith told the outlet. “We’ve put together a great setup for athletes who need a quick set early in the morning.” For anyone needing a glam team, there’s a hair salon dedicated to America’s stars and some stores in walking distance to get Paris 2024 memorabilia.

When the Games last took place in 2021, social distancing, mask mandates and other regulations made it impossible for Olympians to interact with anyone outside of their direct bubble. The atmosphere this year is much lighter, and 600 communal bikes have even been supplied to the Village for residents to take exploring. “You can pretty much get from one end to the other in a couple of minutes, it’s a very compact Village,” Smith explained. “It’s beautiful, it’s right on the river. Great workout area if you’re a jogger.” Of course, there are Olympic Village rules to be followed by everyone, though they vary from one country to another.

Athletes Must Stay With Their Country’s Team

Before the 2024 Olympics kicked off, the Village opened to athletes on July 18th. All competitors didn’t need to move in at this time, but upon arrival, it’s required for everyone to stay in buildings assigned to their country. Team USA was delegated four buildings to house its 593 athletes in the Bastille cluster; “two of them are 11 stories high, and the other two are eight stories high,” Smith said. “It’s just under 600 individual sleeping rooms. Every building has a completely different configuration.” After the Games, the apartments will be given to or sold in the community.

While they can’t room with international friends, Team USA members are mingling with other athletes around the Village. “It’s a very healthy competition and this Village provides that atmosphere of camaraderie. People are hanging out together. And at the same time, we’re finding that a lot of athletes from different countries may go to US universities. So the athletes know each other from university. They know each other from competition,” the team director revealed. To keep the fun going outside of the Games, each country is encouraged to decorate their zone in the Village.

Staying In the Olympic Village Isn’t Mandatory; Those Who Do Can Leave Freely

Even with all the amenities, not everyone who’s a part of Paris 2024 will be staying in the Olympic Village, such as the men’s USA Basketball Team. As a result, they’re left to their own devices for arranging food and transportation, but won’t have to abide by the rules of Village life. Those who do stay on-site can leave at any point but will have to go through the security process again to re-enter, which includes scanners, metal detectors and physical security.

Mattresses Can Be Customized to Individual Preference

During Tokyo 2021, complaints about the “cardboard” beds supplied to competitors went viral, describing them as “hard as rock.” Smith confirmed that the mattresses are quite stiff, but there’s now special training on how to fold the three pieces for maximum comfort based on your sleep type. “They can show you how to flip the mattress. Each side has a different comfort level based on your preference of firmness,” he said.

If the adjusted bed still isn’t working, Team USA has a budget to cover the cost of any mattress toppers, though there is one team that gets a special exception – Track and Field. “The athletes, just their size, they’re big individuals,” Smith revealed why larger beds are shipped in specifically for them.

Family, Friends and Pets Are Prohibited From Visiting Apartments; Personal Security Has Limited Access

“Athletes can leave the Village and go out to meet with their families out in the city of Paris, but families are not allowed to come into the Village,” Smith stated. Each team is given a limited number of accreditations based on size, which typically go to leaders, staff, medical personnel and sometimes security. In a perfect world, coaches would be able to stay with their athletes, but space isn’t always allotted.

Sadly, pets also aren’t welcome at the Olympic Village, though Smith and his team tried to make it work. “Unfortunately that was not possible – and it wasn’t became of the Paris 2024 regulations, it was more of French governmental regulations around certification of therapy dogs,” he said. On the bright side, security for high-profile athletes is permitted at certain times, such as during the Opening Night Ceremony. Firearms and other weapons are prohibited, but the very large security perimeter around the area and airport-like security keeps everyone pretty safe even when personal guards aren’t around.

For the First Time in Olympic History, Nursing Athletes’ Infants Can Come to the Village

Another exciting update to the Olympic Village rules has taken a lot of stress off the backs of nursing mothers competing this year. “There’s a specific nursery that’s run by P&G and they have a specific allotted time where they can go in and breastfeed,” Smith said of the monumental change. Pampers is providing patrons with a safe environment or playtime and family bonding along with “high-quality diapers and wipes.”

Team USA Olympic Village Rules Say Athletes Can Have Sex After Tokyo 2021 Ban

COVID-19 made it hard enough for athletes to compete in their sport, let alone hook up with anyone else. After a sex ban was instated at the last Games amid the pandemic, Paris 2024 is taking a totally different approach, even giving branded condoms out in the hundreds of thousands to competitors. The packaging includes messaging like “On the field of love, play fair [and] ask for consent” and “No need to be a gold medalist to wear it,” which people are already showing off on social media.

Even with the green light from Olympic organizers, competitors are still encouraged to not hook up with people from other countries. “It’s not so much for the sex, it’s more for security reasons,” Smith shared. “We try to keep athletes from other countries out of our residential space and sleeping rooms.” Interestingly, some have accused the beds supplied by the Games of being “anti-sex” due to their unusual cardboard design, which few people feel comfortable sleeping on alone, let alone with someone else.

Olympic Village Rules: How Are Roommates Determined?

Rather than leaving it up to Team Director, Smith said that each individual sport chooses how their athletes will room together. “They have 16 athletes on a field hockey team. So we’ll say, ‘Okay, you have four apartments. Each apartment has X number of beds. It’s two people to a room,” he told People.

“We’ll tell them how many beds they have, how many apartments and how many rooms in each apartment. The team leader will come back and say, ‘Okay, here’s our rooming list. There are who we’re going to have room with who. Every sport will make that decision on their own, it’s not us as Team USA who decides for the specific sport.” As often as possible, underage athletes (such as gymnast Hezly Rivera and swimmer Alex Shackell) will room with another minor, and adults can stay in the Village in this instance. However, coaches sometimes act as a chaperone instead.

Quiet Hours Are Enforced Daily, but There’s Technically No Curfew

According to the Olympic Village expert, quiet hours are enforced from 10 PM to 7 AM local time in Team USA’s apartments. “This is a distraction-free environment. We want to be very respectful – not only of our athletes, but of other athletes,” Smith noted. Of course, competitors can do as they please and be out during this time, it’s just asked that they don’t blare music or deter others around them from getting restful sleep.

Athletes Have an Abundance of Nutrition Options, but Can Still Bring Their Own Food

Olympians need to fuel their body with delicious and nutritious food, and those staying in the Olympic Village have plenty of access to exactly that. The dining hall has six food stations serving Asian, Latin American, halal and other cuisines. Additionally, there’s a grab-and-go station with a French bakery and “every type of coffee drink you could think of,” plus baguette-making lessons! Anyone with special dietary needs can have things shipped to their apartment to accommodate those.

Team USA’s Village Is an Alcohol-Free Zone

Finally, Smith addressed the importance of keeping the Team USA Olympic Village a dry zone, meaning no alcohol is allowed pre-competition, during competition or once the competition has finished. There are no Resident Advisor-type individuals enforcing the ban around the apartments, but if blatant issues were to arise then officials would get involved. “At the end of the day, a lot of these folks are adults. The majority of them are adults, and they’ll make their decisions. But within this space, we have to be very high performance focused,” he reminded People.