The South Korean swimming team has left the Olympic Village in Paris because of the lack of facilities. Athletes have been grumbling about several issues they have faced at the facility – from the “anti-s*x beds” to the aircon temperature. The organizers mentioned, “We have looked to reduce everything that can be reduced, for Games that emit less carbon and consume fewer resources,” automatically leading to some complaints from athletes.

Yet, there is a catch.

While some athletes have left the Village, finding hotels in Paris has been challenging at a time when the city is hosting the biggest event. Tourists have come to the City of Love to enjoy the games and business just picked up. Various hotels are charging exorbitant prices, and this has made it inconvenient for swimmers from South Korea, as they pay over $200,000+ to get rooms.

According to Bloomberg, fans and athletes could pay up to $685 per night for a three-star hotel, a significant increase from the usual $178. For four-star hotels, prices skyrocket even more. The Olympics have caused a 10% hike in hotel prices, adding a substantial expense for everyone involved. Some argue that this financial burden dampens the focus of athletes heading to the event.

Hotel move reduced commute time for South Korean swimming team

While the hotel prices have caused trouble for the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle South Korean swimming relay team, the hotel move saved their journey time. It takes just 5 minutes to reach the Paris La Defense Arena. Thus, KSF president Chong Chang-hoon stated that there were no air-conditioned buses that they used for commuting. When the distances are compared to the Olympic Village, it comes up to 12 km, barring the traffic lights in the streets of Paris. According to Reuters, Chong mentioned, “We just want to make sure they will be at least a bit more comfortable.” 

Even though you might get a complimentary classic bottle of French wine, four-star hotels are more expensive than before. There is a 10-20% hike from 2023 owing to the Olympics. The price for a four-star hotel per night is now $953, a substantial increase from $266. Booking website data will surely show you steep prices from an average of $1299 to $2200. Famous hotels like Ritz Paris are naturally sold out!

Meanwhile, these swimmers are top of South Korea’s contention for winning gold medals, and Hwang Sun-woo, who won the 200m freestyle at the World Championships, described the bus as a “sauna.” He mentioned, “It’s cooler outside than inside the bus. It usually takes about 40 to 45 minutes from the village to the arena, but it took us more than an hour and a half (on Thursday). The windows were taped, probably because they are worried about terrorist attacks. But something has to be done.”

That’s not all. Famous US athletes have pointed out the issues at the Olympic Village apart from the swimming team.

Athletes trolling the Olympic Village!

The US flag-bearer Coco Gauff exclaimed how ten girls shared two bathrooms in the Village. Moreover, athletes would love to sit back and relax before they perform in their events. Simone Biles claimed to take a mattress topper to fix her not-so-comfortable bed. Track and field athlete, Zahria Allers-Liburd, gave a thumbs-down gesture for the food at the Olympic Village. She mentioned on her social media handle, “All jokes aside, I’ve lost 5 pounds in a few days. I need a Chipotle bowl ASAP.”

Therefore, having world-class facilities remains critical to their success, in some way whatsoever. It’s not the first time these issues have crept up. The previous Olympics saw multiple athletes draw a long face because of shoddy conditions.

During the 2012 London Olympics, the lack of appropriate air conditioning became an issue. The 2016 Rio Olympics descended into chaos as athletes found themselves in “uninhabitable” conditions due to the facilities. While the problems are not as bad as some Olympic Villages, some athletes explained the troubles of commuting to the venues.

Thus, with most athletes struggling with the facilities, they would hopefully seek comfort in the lavish hotels and enjoy a view of the Eiffel Tower. Entering the right mindset in competitions remains key and, hopefully, the South Korean swimming team could perform to their fullest.