Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso, who announced her sudden retirement days after failing to qualify for the women's 100-meter butterfly final, denied being kicked out of the Olympic Village for "inappropriate behavior" on Instagram story earlier this week.
“I just wanted to make it clear that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere, stop spreading false information,” Alonso wrote, according to the Daily Beast. “I don’t want to give any statement but I’m not going to let lies affect me either.”
The recently retired swimmer's claim came after Larissa Schaerer, the head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, said Alonso was kicked out of the Olympic Village for creating an "inappropriate atmosphere" in a statement obtained by the Sun on Monday (August 5).
“Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay,” Schaerer said. “We thank her for proceeding as instructed, as it was of her own free will that she did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.”
Alonso reportedly continued staying at the Olympic Village despite her sudden retirement announcement during the first official day of competition. Paraguayan media outlets reported that the swimmer had also spent time in Disneyland Paris, rather than supporting her former teammates, which upset the country's Olympic leadership.
Last week, the Paraguayan outlet HOY (h/t the New York Post) reported that Alonso, who now lives in Dallas, previously said she intended to represent the United States instead of her home country.
“I want to represent the United States more,” Alonso allegedly said during a live video on social media shared prior to the Paris Olympics.
Alonso competed at Southern Methodist University as a sophomore and previously attended Virginia Tech University from 2021-2022. The Paraguayan swimmer also shared a video on her Instagram story that appeared to show her re-entering the United States border on Sunday (August 4).
Alonso finished sixth in her heat with a time of 1:03.09, which was slower than her time of 1:00.37 from her heat at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
"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," Alonso wrote in an Instagram post after the heat.
United States swimmers Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh took gold and silver, respectively, in the women's 100-meter butterfly final.
iHeartMedia is providing 24/7 coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics broadcasting live on NBC Olympics Radio Plus and play-by-play action during live premium events on NBC Olympics Radio.
This story is brought to you by the Women's Sports Audio Network (WSAN). WSAN is the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports. WSAN celebrates female athletes and gives an in-depth look into their personal experiences in and out of their respective sports. Check out more on the WSAN site.
Boxer Imane Khelif 'Greatly Affected' By Olympics Gender Controversy
Charles Barkley Proclaims He's Not Retiring, 'Inside the NBA' Will Continue
Doug Gottlieb Says 'Entitled' Jalen Hurts is 'Not Easy to Deal With'
Pat Mahomes Sr. Announced Major Change Following His Legal Issues
Colin Cowherd Laughs at NCAA After 'Nonsensical Witch Hunt' of Jim Harbaugh
Mike McDaniel Has Hilarious Interview on The Dan Patrick Show
Colin Cowherd: Micah Parsons is Overrated
Dan Patrick: Usain Bolt’s Absence Diminishes Noah Lyles’ ‘World’s Fastest Man’ Honor
Colin Cowherd: Jerry Jones Will Re-Sign Underwhelming Dak Prescott Just to Stay Relevant
This Athlete Was Kicked Out of Olympic Village For 'Inappropriate' Behavior