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Food shortages pose a challenge at Paris Olympics

Esta ha sido una de las barreras olímpicas de esta edición.

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This year, Olympic athletes have been forced to follow a strict diet based on nutritious meals dictated by the Olympic Village’s head of nutrition, Philipp Würz. The sports stars are not allowed to break the rules and must stay in the village from five days before to two days after the event.

This is the same rule that must be followed by the elite athletes who eat large amounts of food during a competition in order to stay energetic and strong, both for nutrition and recovery. However, since the opening of the games on 26 July, the organisers have faced a food challenge, as they were not prepared to meet the volumes of food needed to feed both staff and athletes.

The BBC shared criticism from competitors who claimed there was not enough food available, namely eggs and grilled meats. On Wednesday, in fact, eggs had to be rationed. Andy Anson, chief executive of Team GB, told The Telegraph that there were not enough eggs, chicken or certain carbohydrates, and that raw meat had been served to athletes.

To alleviate this problem, the official catering partner of the Olympic Village, Sodexo Live!, increased food volumes to meet the needs of the athletes. In addition, according to The Telegraph, the British Olympic Association contracted a catering service at its Clichy pavilion where athletes are coming to eat and train instead of at the Olympic Village.