Team GB stars condemn ‘horrible’ meals in luxurious Athletes Village
Fellow TeamGB athletes have come out in support of swimmer Adam Peaty after he launched a stinging attack on the quality of food in the Olympic village.
The swimming star sparked a storm in Paris when he blasted the meals available as unacceptable – and said he had even seen worms in plated dishes.
And today fellow sports stars from TeamGB came out to stand by Peaty in his condemnation of food at Paris 2024 – citing raw poultry and likening the meals offered to school dinners.
TeamGB hockey player Giselle Ansley, 32, from Devon, told MailOnline: ‘The best thing I can say about the food in the Athletes’ Village is that it has improved.
‘To start with it was terrible. And there wasn’t enough of it.
Adam Peaty sparked a storm in Paris when he blasted the meals available as unacceptable – and said he had even seen worms in plated dishes
The food on offer has come in for scrutiny, with Peaty also suggesting that the ‘best in the world’ are not getting similar standards of catering
TeamGB hockey player Giselle Ansley, 32, from Devon, told MailOnline that the food was ‘terrible’ to start with
‘There were turkey meat skewers that were not properly cooked and were raw in the middle. That’s dangerous.
‘They would run out of popular dishes and leave athletes with not enough to eat.
‘When we have an event in the morning we come back and we need to eat to be prepared for the following day.
‘But after the caterers received a lot of criticism it has certainly got better.
‘I would score the food in the first few days at one-out-of-ten. Now I would say it is five-out-of-ten.’
Fellow TeamGB member Scott Lincoln, a shot-putter, was more positive about it but did say: ‘It is a lot like school dinners.’
But he went on: ‘We kind of expect that – the kitchens have to cater for 15,000 people so it is the only way they can do it.
Scott, 31, from Northallerton, said: ‘To be honest it’s fine. I go straight to the grill section, where I can always find chicken, turkey or tuna, which is what I need to eat to prepare for my events.
Fellow TeamGB member Scott Lincoln, a shot-putter, was more positive about it but did say: ‘It is a lot like school dinners’
Sport Climber Lauren Mukheibir, 22, from South Africa, said the food was ‘adequate’ – but that she had not expected to be served high quality meals
Peaty admitted that there were some athletes finding ‘worms in the fish’ at the Paris facility
‘There is always a good variety of dishes. And I certainly have had a lot worse.
‘I would score the food six-and-a-half-out-of-ten.’
Sport Climber Lauren Mukheibir, 22, from South Africa, said the food was ‘adequate’ – but that she had not expected to be served high quality meals.
She said: ‘My mother is a chef so I have grown up eating really good food.
‘I always head straight to the salad bar where I load up fresh produce and then I top it up with whatever protein is available.
‘So I’m pleased that it’s not just pasta and rice.
‘However the vegetarian stuff does not look very appetising.
She added: ‘Some of the competitors here Paris have the backing of huge sponsors and have very high expectations.
‘But I think they are being a bit snobby.
‘Having said that I would give the food in the Athletes’ Village six-and-a-half out of ten.’
Fencer Blake Broszus, 23, from Canada, said he was satisfied with the quality and variety of the food on offer
Sprinter Milagros Duran, 23, from the Dominican Republic, said she was more than happy with the food in the Athletes’ Village
Others were more positive.
Fencer Blake Broszus, 23, from Canada, said he was satisfied with the quality and variety of the food on offer.
He said: ‘There are a lot of different food stations, where you can get different types of food – grilled meat and fish, vegetarian, salad bar, Asian food, pasta and halal meals.
‘I usually go for some pasta, some meat skewers and salad. That certainly works for me.
‘I have no criticism of the food or any of the facilities that Paris has laid on for us. I think it’s all been great.
‘I give it all seven-out-of-ten.’
Sprinter Milagros Duran, 23, from the Dominican Republic, said she was more than happy with the food in the Athletes’ Village.
She said: ‘There is everything I need – chicken, beef, pork. It’s good. I have no complaints.
‘I score the food eight-out-of-ten.’
Modern Pentathlete Duilio Carrillo, 27, from Mexico, also scored the food highly.
He said: ‘For me the food in the Athletes Village is very good, delicious. I want for nothing. I score it ten-out-of-ten.’
Six-time Olympic medallist Peaty had said in an interview this week that the quality of food on offer was so poor that it could affect the performances of athletes.
‘The catering isn’t good enough for the level the athletes are expected to perform,’ he told the i. ‘We need to give the best we possibly can. [In] Tokyo the food was incredible. Rio was incredible. But this time around? There wasn’t enough protein options, long queues, waiting 30 minutes for food because there’s no queueing system.’
