From Gold Medals to Cardboard Beds: The Downgrading of Paris 2024 Olympics

Cardboard beds, no air conditioning, raw food?! 

These are only a few of the problems in the Paris Olympic Villages. You heard that right, the Olympic Villages. 

The Olympics has always been synonymous with excellence, where the world’s best athletes relentlessly train for years to compete for their respective countries on an international stage. However, reports about the living conditions at the Olympic Villages are raising concerns about whether they have taken the cost-cutting and sustainability measures too far.

Cardboard beds were first introduced in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. The beds were designed to be recyclable, contributing to a more sustainable Olympics (although many speculate it was to prevent players from being intimate). Despite the seemingly good intentions, many quickly questioned the practicality and comfort the beds provided. After all, athletes require optimal rest and recovery to perform their best. 

These concerns were further emphasized during the 2024 Paris Olympics when cardboard beds made a return, accompanied by additional issues that caused the athletes significant discomfort. Olympic athletes complained about the cardboard beds due to their lack of support and the stiff plastic mattresses. Ana Perez, a Spanish gymnast, shared her experience saying, "The beds are very hard. Terrible. Very, very hard. We arrived so tired that in the end, you just lie down and fall asleep immediately." 

Many were also concerned about the lack of traditional air conditioning in the quarters, which instead featured an underfloor water-based cooling system. Although this system was capable of cooling a room by up to 10℃, players revealed it was not permitted to be used to its full extent as they were only allowed to lower the temperature by 2℃. With summer temperatures reaching a maximum temperature of 35℃, the lack of a proper cooling system left many athletes uncomfortable and distraught. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke. Historical examples highlight these issues. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, with temperatures reaching 33°C, there were reports of 15 cases of heat exhaustion and heatstroke requiring medical treatment. Similarly, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where temperatures reached 35°C, athletes struggled with increased dehydration and heat-related illnesses. 

Aside from the rooms provided, much attention was also focused on the food supplied by the village. Many raised the issue of a lack of protein options. Athletes require about two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on the extent of their training or sport, to prevent muscle breakdown. As such, the insufficient protein options could compromise their ability to maintain muscle mass and recover quickly. To make matters worse, there were even reports of raw food being served to athletes. 

Andy Anson, the British Olympic Association’s chief executive, said, “There are not enough of certain foods: eggs, chicken, certain carbohydrates, and then there is the quality of the food, with raw meat being served to athletes.” Proper nutrition is critical for athletes to be able to perform at their best, especially as they compete on the world’s biggest stage. 

These concerns highlight a clear disconnect between the prestige associated with the Olympics and the reality athletes faced. While the Olympics’ commitment to sustainability is admirable, it should never come before the athletes’ well-being. ​After all, these are champions who have invested years of training and discipline to reach the Olympics; they deserve accommodations that honor the significance of their achievements. Many people look up to the Olympics as a symbol of excellence; it is only right that the organization reflects those standards in the way it treats its athletes.