Athletes fume over scarce, subpar food at Paris Olympics

Participants in this year's Olympic Games expected culinary delights at the catering points. Unsurprisingly, Paris is considered the capital of chefs and gourmet cuisine. All the worse to hear reports that the Paris Olympic Games are feeding participants poorly and sparingly.

Every four years, millions of people sit in the stands and front of their televisions. Though they may differ in religion, skin color, or political views, they are united by sports patriotism, which comes alive during the Olympic Games. For many athletes, the games are the most important test of their skills, and a medal is the most significant prize of their entire career. Most spend hundreds of hours on training, massages, and diets to get in the best shape of their lives and seize one of the three coveted medals. The organizers of the games go to great lengths every four years to meet all the requirements of the sports stars. Sometimes, however, their efforts fall short.

The organizers of the Olympic Games in Paris highly praised the food served to athletes. They assured that 80% of the meals are French products, and 30% of the food is organic. One-quarter of the food is delivered from less than 155 miles. Moreover, 33% of hot dishes are plant-based. However, the promises do not align with the athletes' opinions. The newspaper "Le Figaro" interviewed representatives of various disciplines. Everyone pointed to one significant problem: the quality and quantity of the food.

Honduran swimmer Julio Horrego, who consumes about 5,000 calories daily, said: "The only problem is the lack of food, which is a bit surprising." He also noted the absence of eggs on the breakfast menu. American gymnast Simone Biles added: "I don't think we're having proper French cuisine in the village like you guys might be eating because you're outside the village."

Problems with the menu at the catering points forced British athletes to ask the team chef for help. The chef flew to their base in Clichy, where he ensured athletes had access to eggs and properly cooked chicken, which the team members had previously complained about.

The catering company handling the Olympic Games assured the newspaper "Le Figaro" that it had replenished the shortages, stating that all products are available in sufficient quantity and that it is "in constant contact with the delegations."