Olympic athletes competing in Beijing are complaining about a lack of food and dire conditions at the Winter Games.
German skiing coach Christian Schwaiger lamented the “extremely questionable” catering, criticizing the Olympic Committee for not providing hot meals to athletes.
“There are no hot meals. There are crisps, some nuts and chocolate, and nothing else. This shows a lack of focus on high-performance sport,” Schwaiger said, noting Team USA came prepared with bags of pasta and other items.
Meanwhile, Russian biathlon competitor Valeria Vasnetsova posted to Instagram that she missed her competition after testing positive for COVID-19. The athlete shared a picture of the meal she has been served for “breakfast, lunch, and dinner for five days already,” consisting of a little plain pasta, a few potatoes, charred meat on a bone, and an orange sauce.
Three-time gold medalist Eric Frenzel also tested positive for the virus, with the head of Germany’s delegation reporting that the hotel where the athlete was forced to quarantine had “unreasonable” conditions. The room was too small, dirty, and food deliveries were late.
“My stomach hurts, I’m very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes. I want all this to end. I cry every day. I’m very tired,” her Instagram post read. Vasnetsova’s account has since been made private.
Athletes who test positive for the coronavirus are forced to quarantine and can only compete after producing two consecutive negative PCR test results, according to NPR.
Belgian skeleton racer Kim Meylemans shared a tear-filled post to Instagram detailing her confusing ordeal after she tested positive upon arriving in Beijing.
Meulemans said she was frightened over the city’s COVID-19 protocols, explaining that she thought she was being taken to the Olympic Village in Yanqing after testing positive for the virus but was taken by ambulance to a remote location instead.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a statement Monday noting their “ongoing commitment to delivering safe and splendid Olympic Winter Games.”
“Any issue – we have to address. No stone can be left unturned. And this is what we have to do until the very last day,” IOC Executive Director for Olympic Games Christophe Dubi said. “We also have a duty, and this is a point we have made on our side, within the Olympic family, and with you (the media) as well – it’s that everything we see, every issue we can identify at that point in time, we have to help the Organizing Committee to address.”
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