A British swimmer claims athletes in the Olympic Village have found worms in their food as he more broadly criticized the catering at the Paris Games.
Adam Peaty, a six-time Olympic medalist, told iNews on Sunday the food options weren’t “good enough for the level the athletes are expected to perform.”
“Tokyo, the food was incredible, Rio was incredible,” he said, adding that in Paris, “there wasn’t enough protein options, long queues, waiting 30 minutes for food because there’s no queuing system.”
As part of the Olympics’ sustainability efforts, organizers committed to increasing plant-based food options at the Games, predominantly for spectators and workers. Nutritionists and dozens of athletes were consulted on this plan, organizers said.
Peaty said the plant-based options weren’t suitable for many athletes.
“The narrative of sustainability has just been pushed on the athletes,” he said. “I want meat, I need meat to perform and that’s what I eat at home, so why should I change?”
“I like my fish and people are finding worms in the fish. It’s just not good enough,” added Peaty, who won silver in Paris in the 100-meter breaststroke.
A Paris 2024 spokesperson told HuffPost it had no information to be able to confirm the worm allegation, and that Team Great Britain “has confirmed that no such reports have been made to their staff.”
It noted that “there was never any question of placing the vegetarian objectives of Paris 2024’s Food Vision on the athletes.”
Adam Peaty of Team Great Britain said athletes have found worms in their food.
“We are listening to the athletes and take their feedback very seriously,” the spokesperson said. “Since the opening of the Village, our partner Sodexo Live! has been working proactively to adapt supplies to the growing use of the Olympic Village restaurants, as well as to the actual consumption by athletes observed over the first few days.”
“As a result, the quantities of certain products have been significantly increased and additional staff have been deployed to ensure that the service runs smoothly.”
The food in the Village has been a hot topic throughout the Games.
The reviews have ranged from “ decent ” to “ not adequate .”
Andy Anson, the British Olympic Association’s chief executive, said ahead of the opening ceremony that Team GB was enlisting another chef to supply its athletes with more appropriate food.
American gymnast Simone Biles said last week of the food, “I don’t think we’re having proper French cuisine.”
Her teammate Hezly Rivera was even less enthusiastic.
“I don’t think it’s very good, at least what we’re having in the dining hall,” she said.
However, at least a few people have been loving the fare.
Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen has turned the Olympic Village’s chocolate muffins into a viral sensation , rating them an “insane 11/10.”
Sodexo Live!, a multinational food services company, is charged with providing the tens of thousands of meals required each day for athletes in the Village.
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