Paris Olympics 2024: Food Shortage, Poor Quality & Other Issues

The Olympic opening ceremony held last night in Paris may be on everyone’s mouths but people can’t stop talking about the food crisis either. The Times of London reports that the food served to athletes and champions in at the Olympic Village is not up to the mark and doesn’t meet international standards. British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Anson has admitted that there have been insufficient quantities of chicken, and eggs and some meat has even been served raw. 

“They have got to improve it over the next couple of days dramatically,” Anson said. According to French newspaper L'Équipe, competitors gave also shared their dismay over the lack of enough eggs and grilled meats. On Wednesday, eggs were reportedly rationed.

Anson also noted that Britain had to send a team chef to France as they’re keen on their athletes eating in their performance lodge in Cichy, as opposed to the mainstream Village in Paris. Sodexo Live, the provider of food from the 2024 Games, has already acknowledged the faux pas but has said that things are getting better.  A company spokesperson told the Times of London the complaints “very seriously” and that the caterer is “working to increase our supplies to the restaurants in the athletes’ village.”

Olympic will be held over 17 days and this year more than 10,500 athletes have flown to the Olympic Village to be a part of the games. Food is a key factor during the 17 days of the Olympics since it can affect the athletes’ training and diet. The BBC reports that the Olympic Village will serve 13 million meals during the Olympics and Paralympics.

“At the beginning of every Games there’s usually two or three issues—the big one this time is the food in the village, which is not adequate," Anson told The Telegraph. Some reports suggest that Sodexo’s efforts to make this year’s food system more consious and sustainable may have played a part in this crisis. “At the beginning of every Games there’s usually two or three issues—the big one this time is the food in the village, which is not adequate," Anson told The Telegraph.