Aleksandra Melzacka and Sandra Jankowiak, a typical of Poland in the sailing class of 49erFX at the Olympic Games in Paris, shared their unpleasant experiences with their stay in Marseille, where sailing competitions were held. Their relation with the conditions at the games is another pebble thrown into the garden by the organizers of the event. In an interview with Polsat Sport, the players told about scandalous conditions in hotels prepared for athletes. 1 of them was besides robbed.
Accommodation problems: Plague of bedbugs
Alexander Melzacka described the nightmare associated with the plague of bugs in their hotel. The problem arose in the mediate of the stay and despite attempts to decision to another rooms, the situation did not improve. "It was a immense organizational failure and hotel management. After all night we woke up with fresh bites," Melzacka reported. Eventually, the players had to be transferred to a completely different facility. Despite disinfection and laundry, the problem has not been resolved.
The theft of Olympic memorabilia
Sandra Jankowiak, in turn, was a victim of theft. From her room, the Olympic pins disappeared – valuable souvenirs that traditionally are exchanged between athletes during the games. In spite of reporting the case at the hotel, the items were not found. “It was a immense failure to me. These pins have sentimental value for us and are a symbol of shared moments with another athletes," Jankowiak said.
Seafaring sailors
It is worth noting that sailors, unlike most Olympians, did not live in the main Olympic village in Paris, but in the smaller one, located in Marseille. That's where the water fighting took place. Separating from the main Olympic group may have affected the quality of accommodation and the overall organization.
Reactions and consequences
The accounts of Melzacka and Jankowiak highlighted serious shortcomings in organizing the accommodation of athletes during the games. The problem of bedbugs and the theft of valuable souvenirs is questioned by safety and hygiene standards provided by organizers. Let's hope that future sporting events will be better organized, and athletes will be able to focus only on competition, without any additional stress associated with accommodation.
Summary
The unpleasant experiences of Alexandra Melzacka and Sandra Jankowiak in Marseille cast a shadow on the organisation of the Paris Olympics. The plague of bedbugs and the theft of souvenirs are serious incidents that require appropriate consequence from organizers to prevent akin situations in the future. Athletes deserve conditions that let them to focus on competing and achieving the best results, alternatively than struggling with accommodation problems.
Daniel Głogowski
Expert in his field – Publicist, author and social activist. The first articles were published in 1999 for global publishers. For more than 30 years, he has gained his experience through cooperation with the largest editorial offices. In his articles, he seeks to address controversial topics and present first viewpoints that allowed for a deeper knowing of the issues discussed.
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"Plags of bedbugs and thefts". Polish sailing boats with scandalous conditions at Olympic Games
