Paraguayan swimmer, known for glamorous looks, expelled over ‘inappropriate’ behaviour
Paraguay's Luana Alonso has been expelled from the Paris Olympics athletes' village due to "inappropriate" behavior. The 20-year-old swimmer, known for her glamorous appearance, did not advance to the semifinals of the women's 100m butterfly on July 27. Following her early exit, Alonso was asked to leave the village due to her conduct.
Reports suggest that instead of remaining to support her teammates, Alonso left the village to visit Disneyland Paris. This led to her being dismissed from the games. Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, stated, “Her presence was creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay.” Schaerer also noted that Alonso chose not to stay in the Athletes' Village of her own accord.
Although Alonso has not publicly addressed her removal, she announced her retirement from swimming shortly after missing the semifinals by just 0.24 seconds. On Instagram, she posted a picture of herself at the Olympics with the caption: “It's official now! I'm retiring from swimming. Thank you all so much for the support! Sorry Paraguay, I only have to thank you!”
Later, Alonso shared another post with a series of photos of her diving into the Olympic pool, expressing her gratitude for the sport. She wrote, “Swimming: thank you for allowing me to dream, teaching me to fight, persevere, and sacrifice. I gave you part of my life and wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. You gave me joy, friends, and unique opportunities. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon.”
Upon her return to Paraguay, Alonso has not commented on the reasons for her ousting, but her unexpected retirement from swimming has surprised many.