There has been an icy atmosphere at the Beijing Winter Olympics after athletes vented their frustrations about the food, bitter temperatures, and isolated conditions.
Several athletes and coaches have spoken out about the poor organization, Reuters reports.
German skiing coach Christian Schwaiger complained about the food provisions, saying: "The catering is extremely questionable because really it’s not catering at all."
"I’d have expected that the Olympic Committee would be capable of providing hot meals. There are no hot meals. There are crisps, some nuts and chocolate and nothing else. This shows a lack of focus on high-performance sport," he added.
Meanwhile, he wasn't the only person with a bad word to say about the living conditions inside the Winter Olympic park. Swedish cross-country ski team boss Ander Bystroem complained that athletes were being made to compete in freezing temperatures beyond the usual threshold.
"We have the cold limits we have, there is not much to say about that. I do not know if they also measure the wind effect," said Bystroem, adding: "If FIS says it's -17 degrees and it's windy, and it's -35 degrees with the wind chill, what do you do then?"
He went on to say that the cold was ruining events, saying: "the women’s skiathlon on Saturday at 4 PM and Frida Karlsson was completely destroyed by the cold. It’s not good that the sprint starts even later."
"We have talked in the team about making a request (to race earlier) during the day if it's possible," he added, before saying that rescheduling was unlikely. Races are usually held in the afternoon to make it easier for European audiences to tune in.
As well as the poor food and the freezing cold, athletes have also complained about the quarantine conditions. Anyone who tests positive for Covid is taken straight to a quarantined hotel.
Russian biathlon competitor Valeria Vasnetsova took to Instagram to decry the living standards in one such hotel, saying that her stomach ached from a lack of quality food.
Belgian skeleton racer Kim Meylemans also shared her experience on Instagram - in a video in which she explained that she was so scared and confused about the Covid protocols that she was reduced to tears.
The IOC responded to complaints in a statement which read:
"We are aware of the complaints raised by some athletes, particularly with regard to food temperature, variety, and portion size.
"The issues are currently being addressed together with Beijing 2022 and the respective management of the facilities concerned. We feel for every athlete who cannot compete because of a Covid-19 infection. The protocols have been put in place to ensure safe Olympic Games for everyone."
