Athletes complain about lack of meat!

Athletes at the Paris Olympics complained that the large vegetarian offerings in the Olympic Village left them without enough meat.

Athletes at the Paris Olympics say they are not getting enough protein-rich foods, with some claiming organisers are limiting their intake, The Daily Telegraph reported. In response, organisers have ordered an extra 700kg of eggs and several tonnes of meat to “meet the needs of the athletes”.

Before the Games began, it was announced that 60% of food options in the Athletes’ Village would be “vegan” as part of a push to make Paris the most sustainable Olympics ever. The Australian team lodged a number of complaints, with athletes and former competitors expressing concerns about the practice.

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmuss has criticised “ridiculous” conditions which she believes hampered her bid to set a world record in the 400m freestyle on Saturday.

“Maybe this isn’t the time when I think I’m capable, but living in the Olympic Village makes it hard for me to perform,” she said.

Former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke also explained that he had spoken to a boxer in his team who had been told he could only eat limited amounts of meat. “I joked last night that the vegetarian options in the Village were running out of meat,” he said. “Well, an Australian heavyweight boxer comes out wanting a steak… that guy is six foot six and weighs a hundred kilograms at best… you can’t just give him two steaks.” Also involved in the discussion was retired Olympic swimmer James Magnussen, who won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

He continued: “The lack of world records is due to this environmental, carbon footprint and plant-first mentality, rather than high performance.”

The Australian Olympic Committee tried to calm the situation, saying that despite the problems, food quantities were currently increasing.

Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Tobwa said organisers were responsive to athletes’ concerns.

He continued: “We have added 700 kilograms of eggs and several tons of meat to meet the needs of the athletes… We have a complete vision for nutrition that aims to provide the necessary products, including organic food. “We have adjusted everything and this satisfies everyone involved.”

“We have held discussions with the heads of delegations to put the athletes at the forefront of our attention and tailor our services to meet their needs,” Toboa added.