Let them eat steak: Emergency stocks of meat and eggs flown into Paris Olympic village

The complaints from the athletes about the state of the village came swiftly, so the French have had to adapt quickly as some of sport’s biggest superstars find a new home to enjoy the Games.

An emergency supply of meat and eggs has been shipped into the Paris Games village as athletes rail against the Vegan Olympics.

More than 700kg of eggs and a tonne of extra meat has been ordered to replace fake meat meals and non-dairy options.

Protests over food come as team officials and athletes complain about a lack of air conditioning, scratchy uncomfortable beds, long walks to the cafeterias and crowded buses which are running late.

Australian competitors are being ferried in shuttle vans to the Paris Olympic events after transport problems have continued to plague the third day of competition.

Officials have tried to downplay the issues in the Olympic village, coming off the back of complaints about the hard beds and dorm-like living at the “green” purpose built accommodation impacting on performance.

But Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois said organisers had responded to complaints about food options at the athlete village with massive increases in meat and eggs to meet the demand.

The food hall inside the Paris village. Pics Adam Head

“As far as food is concerned we had to make a few changes and we had to adapt, which is quite normal,” Thobois said.

“We have 700kg of eggs and a tonne of meat have been the increases we have provided to meet the needs of athletes.

“We have got a full vision in terms of nutrition which is designed to provide the products necessary, including organic food. We have adapted everything and it is to the satisfaction of all concerned. We have had discussions with the heads of delegation and we have put the athletes at the forefront of our concerns and adapted our services to meet the needs of the athletes.”

The response follows athletes from several countries complaining about conditions in press conferences.

US gymnast Frederick Richard said he came prepared for the village. He shipped in his own mattress.

“Everyone’s complaining about beds and stuff,” Richard said on Wednesday. “I ordered my bed already, shipped it here. I had a comfy bed from the start.”

The British team followed the lead of the Australians, buying mattress toppers to cover the Japanese-made mattresses so that athletes unaccustomed to a hard bed could be more comfortable.

The high percentage of vegan food available in the village has seen meat options running out, although the Australians have their own “tucker box” at their accommodation hub and personal baristas for decent coffee “doing a roaring trade”.

The cardboard beds inside the village. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Paris organisers demanded 60 per cent of food at all Olympic venues be vegan to reduce carbon footprint of dairy, meat and cheese.

Avocados were off the menu because of transportation emissions, but the Australian team brought their own for smashed avo breakfasts.

With the Paris temperatures rising to the mid-30s, the debate is expected to focus upon the two-tier experience of athletes: those like Australians who have brought air conditioning and poorer nations that have to deal with warmer rooms that were built to strict environmental standards using cool water being piped under the floors.

The big US stars in tennis and basketball have moved out; Coco Gauff explained how she was initially sharing two bathrooms with 10 women, and “all the tennis girls moved to a hotel except me. So now it’s just five girls and two bathrooms”.

Complaints about the hard beds started when Australia’s swimmers coached by Dean Boxall began a list of grievances on the first day of Olympic competition explaining their slow times.

Elijah Winnington, fresh off a silver medal in the 400m freestyle, said village life was not conducive to posting a slick time: “Walking kilometres a day, the food’s crap, you’re sleeping on crap beds”. Minutes later gold medallist Ariane Titmus said the village is “not made for high performance”.

The Australian Olympic team issued a statement on Wednesday saying the village was “high quality”.

Originally published as Let them eat steak: Emergency stocks of meat and eggs flown into Paris Olympic village