Luana Alonso rips 'false information' surrounding Paris Olympics exit
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso ripped the “false information” surrounding her Paris Olympics exit. She was allegedly sent home due to inappropriate outfits and distracted teammates.
However, Alonso attempted to clarify the above narrative and provided her side of the story. She took to her Instagram and released a statement.
It can be viewed below following a translation from Spanish.
“I just wanted to clarify that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere, stop spreading false information,” Alonso wrote on her Instagram story. “I don’t want to give any statement but I’m not going to let lies affect me either.”
Alonso was sent home over the weekend after competing in swimming by the Paraguayan Olympic Committee. Larissa Schaerer, who is the head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, released a statement to The Sun about the decision.
“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.”
While Schaerer declined to get into specifics, The Daily Mail did in its report. The website reports that Alonso was walking around in her own outfits rather than clothes that were provided by the Paraguayan team.
She was also reportedly spotted socializing with and distracting her teammates who are still competing at the Olympic games.
Alonso competed in the women’s 100m butterfly semifinals, but she failed to advance to the finals. She came in sixth in her heat with a time of 1:03.09. After the event, she announced her retirement from swimming.
Luana Alonso competed in the women’s 100m butterfly semifinals, but she failed to advance to the finals. She came in sixth in her heat with a time of 1:03.09. After the event, she announced her retirement from swimming.
“It’s official! I’m retiring from swimming, thank you all so much for your support!” Alonso wrote on Instagram after the event. “Sorry Paraguay. I just have to say thank you!
“Swimming: thank you for allowing me to dream, you taught me to fight, to try, perseverance, sacrifice, discipline and many more things,” she wrote, including a bunch of photos of her competing at the Paris Olympics.
“I gave you part of my life and I wouldn’t change that 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 goodbye, it’s see you soon.”
A collegiate athlete as well as an Olympic athlete, Alonso spent a season at Virginia Tech before transferring to SMU.
Luana Alonso competed at the NCAA Championships in the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly in 2023. She also competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 100 butterfly.
Matt Connolly contributed to this report