Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso reportedly wanted to compete for the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics instead of representing her country.
“I want to represent the United States more,” Alonso reportedly said in a live social media video ahead of the Olympics. HOY Outlet in Paraguay report.
The outlet claimed Alonso wanted to swim for the United States because she attended college in the United States and the U.S. team’s Olympic qualification system is very different from Paraguay’s.
Alonso, who was banned from the Olympic Village in Paris amid allegations of “inappropriate conduct,” played one season as a sophomore at Southern Methodist University and also attended Virginia Tech in 2021-2022.
The 20-year-old swimmer qualified to compete in the women’s 100m butterfly through the universality system, designed to increase the diversity of participating countries across Olympic sports.
In a video posted on social media, Alonso reportedly slammed the Paraguayan Olympic Committee (COP) for its treatment of athletes.
“They are threatening to make a statement, saying I will retire for universality. If I support my sport, it is because of the sponsors. They are humiliating me and saying: ‘Retiring for universality is not a big deal’. To say this to me when no Paraguayan woman has ever achieved Olympic fame, and I am one second away from it, is not a big deal.”” said Alonso.
She said she would much rather represent the United States because her Paraguayan Olympic teammates and higher-ups do not “support” or “believe” in their country’s athletes.
“I wouldn’t enjoy playing for Paraguay and would go back to college if I could,” she added.
COP president Camilo Pérez accused Alonso of wanting to represent another country because her times were not good enough to qualify for the Olympics as part of the U.S. team.
“I read that she wants to compete for the U.S.,” Perez said. According to UNILAD. “There’s no universality there. She came here as a Paraguayan. She has to practice more and her times have to be better to represent the U.S.”
2024 Paris Olympics
Alonso, who gained fame through social media even before jumping into the Olympic pool, failed to reach the semifinals on July 27.
She shocked the world by announcing her retirement from swimming the day after the race, and just weeks after getting the Olympic rings tattooed on her lower back.
On Monday, it was reported that Alonso had been kicked out of the Olympic Village for “inappropriate” behaviour, including a trip to Disneyland and wearing a revealing outfit, which caused disruption to other athletes.
“Her presence creates an inappropriate atmosphere within the Paraguay team,” said Larissa Scherer, president of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee. According to The Sun.
“It was of her own free will that she not spend the night in the Olympic Village and we thank her for following instructions.”
On Tuesday, Alonso denied reports that he had been removed from the stadium.
“I just wanted to make it clear that I have never been banned or evicted from anywhere. Please stop spreading disinformation,” Alonso wrote on Instagram. According to the Daily Beast.
“I don’t want to say anything, but I’m not going to be swayed by lies either.”
