Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso, 20, has been in the spotlight during the Paris Olympics, but not for her athletic performance. After failing to advance past her heat in the women’s 100m butterfly on July 27, Alonso announced her retirement from the sport. However, her actions following this announcement have stirred controversy, leading to her being asked to leave the Olympic Village.
The request for Alonso’s departure came from the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, with its head, Larissa Schaerer, citing an unsuitable atmosphere caused by Alonso’s presence. Schaerer thanked Alonso for her cooperation and decision to not stay overnight in the Athletes’ Village.
Despite her retirement announcement, Alonso continued to reside in the Olympic Village. Reports from Paraguayan media outlets indicated that she was spending her time at Disneyland rather than supporting her fellow athletes. This behavior reportedly upset the leadership of Paraguay’s Olympic team.
Alonso’s conduct extended beyond her choice of leisure activities. According to the Daily Mail, her revealing attire and social interactions with other athletes were causing distractions. Alonso had previously competed in the Tokyo Olympics, where she performed better, finishing her heat with a time of 1:00.37 compared to her 1:03.09 finish in Paris.
American swimmers Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh took the top two spots in the event. Following her performance, Alonso took to Instagram to confirm her retirement from swimming. In her post, she expressed gratitude to her supporters and apologized to her home country of Paraguay.
In a subsequent Instagram post, Alonso penned a heartfelt tribute to the sport of swimming. She thanked the sport for allowing her to dream and for teaching her valuable life lessons such as perseverance, sacrifice, and discipline. She also shared a collection of photos from her time at the Paris Olympics.
Prior to the Paris Games, Alonso had hinted at her retirement in an Instagram post. She had gained attention for a tattoo of the Olympic rings on her hip. Alonso had a successful 2023, setting career bests in the 100m and 200m butterfly events and competing in the NCAA championships. As of now, Alonso has not publicly addressed her departure from the Olympic Village.