One of the most glamorous competitors at the Olympics has been banned from the Athletes’ Village after being accused of distracting fellow competitors with her scantily clad clothing and socialising with other athletes.
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso has been ordered to leave after authorities said she had created an “inappropriate atmosphere” with her behaviour.
The stunning 20-year-old blonde, who lost her heat on the first day of competition, had been seen walking around in her own chosen clothing rather than the official kit provided by Paraguayan team bosses.
She has also been seen socializing with other athletes and is said to have been distracting her teammates who were still competing.
Alonso checked into a hotel in the French capital and visited luxury boutiques and restaurants, posting photos for her 500,000 followers on social media.
The swimmer was not allowed by her team to remain in the Olympic Village until the end of the Games.
During her stay in Paris she also made a visit to Euro Disney posing with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears in front of the Magic Kingdom castle.
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso clinking champagne glasses at Euro Disneyland
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso was expelled from the official sports village
Alonso allegedly “created an inappropriate environment” that led to his dismissal
Alonso, pictured during the opening ceremony, has nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram.
The 20-year-old retired from swimming after finishing sixth in her only swim at the Games.
Alonso (seen left before her race) just missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly.
Paraguayan Olympic Committee officials made the decision to ban him from mixing with other team members after being alerted to his behaviour which was said to be causing a “distraction”.
It is customary for all athletes to stay until the end of the Olympic Games, to take part in the lively closing ceremony and, afterwards, the noisy parties held in the host city.
The decision to fire her early is a demonstration of the anger of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and she was told to stay in a hotel instead of her shared accommodation in the athletes’ village, where competitors can relax between events.
In a statement announcing his departure, Paraguayan Olympic chief Larissa Schaerer said: “His presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within the Paraguayan team.
“We thank him for having acted as instructed, as it was of his own free will that he did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.”
During her stay in Paris she also paid a visit to Euro Disney, posing with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears in front of the Magic Kingdom castle.
Alonso bumped into Rafael Nadal (right) during the matches and shared a photo of the couple on X
The Paraguayan star began swimming at an early age and competed for the first time at age 11.
Alonso had already competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed due to COVID
Alonso, who announced her retirement from the sport after failing to reach the semi-finals in the butterfly series, has since returned to the United States, where she is studying at a university in Texas.
During a visit to the French capital, Alonso stayed at the luxurious Hotel Pastel, near the Arc de Triomphe, and visited many of the shops and museums that make Paris a popular tourist destination.
She visited France’s leading patisserie, Laduree, and posted a photo of its internationally renowned macaroon cakes.
Luana also indulged in a lavish shopping spree at clothing designer Yves Saint Laurent’s flagship store on the Champs-Élysées and across the street at the headquarters of fashion house Louis Vuitton.
While she was welcomed into the Olympics, she also took the opportunity to watch her tennis heroes from the stands at Roland Garros, watching matches played by Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.
Other happy snaps posted on her Instagram account show her in front of the Eiffel Tower and the museum at the Hotel Les Invalides, which houses the tomb of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
In an Instagram story on Sunday night, she appeared to confirm that she had traveled to the United States.
Alonso retired from the games when she finished sixth in the 100-meter butterfly.
She quickly announced her retirement from the sport (without first telling her Olympic bosses) and informed her followers on social media that she had made the decision before flying to France.
The swimmer has made no mention of her sudden departure from Paris, but a photo posted on her Instagram shows her approaching a border crossing in the United States.
After failing to qualify in his heat on July 27, Alonso announced: “It’s official!
‘Swimming: thank you for allowing me to dream, you taught me to fight, to try, to persevere, to sacrifice, to discipline and much more.
‘I gave you part of my life and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world because I lived the best experiences of my life, you gave me thousands of joys, friends from other countries that I will always carry in my heart, unique opportunities.
“It’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you soon.”
Alonso was one of the youngest swimmers to compete at the Olympic Games when she took part in the 2016 Tokyo Games.