Olympics

Luana Alonso returns to training after Olympics featured abrupt retirement, ‘inappropriate’ accusation

Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso is back in the gym after her retirement and controversial exit from the Olympic Village in Paris.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, the 20-year-old athlete posted a snapshot of herself posing in the mirror at a gym.

Alonso resurfaced on social media after she announced her retirement from swimming, which came after she failed to advance out of her heat and into the women’s 100-meter butterfly semifinals at the Summer Games on July 27.

Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso in the gym after her controversial exit from the Olympic Village in Paris. Instagram/Luana Alonso

“Always with Meta Sports For Women,” she wrote in Spanish and tagged the clothing store.

Alonso — who went viral before the Paris Games for a tattoo of the Olympics rings on her hip — wore blue Nike Pro shorts and a sports bra in the photo.

It came after the swimmer denied she was asked to leave the Olympic Village for creating an inappropriate environment.

Parguayan swimmer Luana Alonso competed at 2024 Paris Olympics. Instagram / @luanalonsom
Paraguay’s Luana Alonso competes in a heat of the women’s 100m butterfly swimming event during the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka on July 23, 2023. AFP via Getty Images

“I just wanted to make it clear that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere, stop spreading false information,” Alonso wrote in a since-expired post on her Instagram Story last week.

“I don’t want to give any statement but I’m not going to let lies affect me either.”

After competing in her event at the Paris Games, the Paraguayan Olympic Committee said Alonso was instructed to leave the Olympic Village.

Ana Nizharadze (R) of Team Georgia, Oumy Diop (C) of Team Senegal and Luana Alonso (L) of Team Paraguay prepare to compete in the Women’s 100m Butterfly Heats at Paris La Defense Arena on July 27, 2024 in Nanterre, France. Getty Images

“Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay,” Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, said in a statement to The Sun, which was published on Aug. 5.

“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 had reportedly been staying in the Olympic Village despite not qualifying in her event, which is allowed.

Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso in a green bikini. Instagram / @luanalonsom

Paraguayan media outlets reported that the country’s Olympic brass was upset with Alonso due to her visiting Disneyland and other destinations outside the village, instead of supporting her teammates.

She also posted photos of herself at the park holding a glass of champagne and shopping.

It’s unclear if she violated the 2024 Paris Olympics guidelines for social media.

A separate report by The Daily Mail said Alonso became a distraction to other competitors with her “skimpy clothing and socializing with other athletes.”

Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso visited Disneyland Paris during the Paris Olympics. Instagram / @luanalonsom
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso visited Disneyland Paris during the Paris Olympics. Instagram / @luanalonsom

The outlet also reported that Paraguay’s Olympic Committee had an issue with her wearing her own outfits and not the team’s uniforms.

Alonso retired from the sport after she finished sixth in her heat with a time of 1:03.09.

It was higher than her 1:00.37 from her heat in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

Alonso is currently enrolled at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas and is studying political science, according to her social media.

She transferred to SMU after spending one season at Virginia Tech.

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