Thomas Ceccon, the Italian swimmer who won a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has gone viral with his latest video post.
In the video, he is seen lying in a park, sleeping on a towel, symbolizing the degradation of the Olympic Village—a place where, according to many athletes, it is impossible to live due to the lack of air conditioning, limited food, and cardboard beds.
A few days ago, Ceccon also complained about the conditions he is experiencing in the Olympic Village: “There is no air conditioning, it’s hot, and the food is poor. Many athletes are moving because of this. It’s not an excuse or justification, it’s the reality that maybe not everyone knows.”
The Italian Swimming Federation (FIN) was forced to clarify that Ceccon’s video of him sleeping is unrelated to his previous comments about the Olympic Village.
They told the ANSA news agency that it was merely a nap and also emphasized that the clip was filmed during the day.
However, Ceccon is not the only one to have complained about the conditions at the village. Gregorio Paltrinieri, who recently won a silver medal in the 1500 meters and a bronze in the 800 meters, also said: “I have participated in four Olympics, and this is the worst village I have seen. I can never sleep in my room; it’s too hot. We are the protagonists here, and it’s unimaginable not to have air conditioning in the rooms.”
