Why was Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso expelled from the Paris 2024 Olympics?

Paraguayan swimmer, Luana Alonso, was expelled from the Paris 2024 Olympics after an unauthorized trip to Disneyland, marking an unexpected end to her Olympic journey.

Alonso, who competed in the women's 100m butterfly heats, finished sixth and failed to progress. Although she had planned to remain in the Olympic Village until the Games concluded in mid-August, team officials ordered her early departure due to her "inappropriate actions."

Reports from local media revealed that Alonso ventured out into Paris and spent a night at Disneyland instead of staying to support her teammates. This incident marred her Olympic experience, especially following her recent announcement of retirement from competitive swimming to her 500,000 Instagram followers.

Paraguayan Olympic Committee boss Larissa Schaerer stated, "Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay. 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 has not publicly commented on her expulsion, but her Instagram story indicated that she had returned to the United States, where she attends school, as she posted a video driving towards a border control crossing.

Alonso's early retirement came after she narrowly missed the semi-finals by just 0.24 seconds. At only 20 years old, Alonso had previously competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and had been one of the youngest swimmers to retire at such a young age.

Despite the controversy, she clarified in an interview with Claro Sports that her decision to retire was made long before the Paris Games. "People, my decision was made a long time ago! It wasn't because of the games! So nothing, I just have to thank everyone who always supported me," Alonso explained.

Her departure from the sport leaves a significant mark, as she had also competed in the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest and the South American Games in Asuncion. Additionally, she was an active swimmer for the Dallas Mustangs. Her sudden exit from the Paris Games follows another incident involving Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira, who was also sent home for sneaking out of the athletes' village with her boyfriend.