Paraguayan Olympic swimmer Luana Alonso is splashing again, this time not in the pool but on Instagram. Eleven months after being accused of creating an "inappropriate atmosphere" at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 21-year-old athlete has finally fired back at her country's claims, and she's not mincing words.
In a blistering Instagram Stories statement posted Wednesday, Alonso called the comments about her being kicked out of the Olympic Village "lies" and "false rumors," accusing the Paraguayan Olympic Committee of smearing her reputation when she needed support the most.
© Michael Reaves"Let me make this clear: I left the Olympic Village on my own," she wrote, torching the official narrative with the elegance of someone who's had a year to simmer.
Alonso, who competed in the 100m Butterfly for Paraguay at the Paris Games but didn't advance past the heats, became the center of controversy when officials claimed she had been removed from the team environment for being a "distraction."
So what was so inappropriate? A quick trip to Disneyland Paris, and that's when the story snowballed.
© Getty ImagesAccording to Larissa Schaerer, head of Paraguay's Olympic Committee, Alonso's presence was "creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay." Reports surfaced that her post-competition behavior, like dressing in "skinny clothing," socializing with other athletes and skipping out on cheering duties, rubbed officials the wrong way.
Alonso says that's nonsense. "The Paraguayan Olympic team claimed I created an 'inappropriate environment' simply because I decided I didn't want to swim anymore," she explained. "They tried to take my accreditation away, but that's not something they had the right to do. I chose not to hand it over, and apparently that was 'inappropriate' to them."
Instead of flying home, Alonso checked into a Paris hotel and took a much-needed break from the pressure cooker of Olympic scrutiny. Think croissants over cortisol.
The SMU alum, who once wore her national colors with pride, claimed that while she was being painted as a diva, officials were quietly begging her to swim again for the Pan American Junior Games in Paraguay's capital, Asunción, just weeks later.
© Getty Images"If I had been treated with basic respect, maybe I wouldn't have stepped away," she said. "But the moment I stood up for myself, I became a problem."
The backlash has left a mark. Alonso revealed that she's considering legal action against outlets that ran with the Olympic Village expulsion story. "Seriously considering legal action against the magazines and media outlets spreading false rumors," she wrote. "Really? Who came up with that nonsense? Well, it's not true."
Alonso's social media statement also hinted at a deeper dive to come. She teased a video explanation in the works and confessed that the ongoing drama had taken a toll on her, prompting her to live more "lowkey."
© AFP via Getty ImagesStill, the story isn't all closed chapters and Instagram rants. Though she announced her retirement from competitive swimming shortly after the Olympics, she sparked curiosity in May with a cryptic message during an Instagram Q&A. "Next year I'm coming back," she told a fan. "But I don't know if I will be back to competitive swimming."
That might be the most Luana Alonso move of all, keeping us guessing. Will she return to the sport? Will she sue? Will there be a comeback documentary?
We will be patiently waiting and supporting Luana Alonso's next career move.
