Sprinter Noah Lyles Spotlights an Inequity Between Countries Inside the Olympic Village
As Team USA continues to dominate the medal tally at the 2024 Paris Olympics, track and field superstar Noah Lyles has shed light on a significant disparity within the Olympic Village. Lyles, 27, recently spoke exclusively to Us Weekly about the challenges faced by athletes due to the extreme heat and inadequate living conditions.
Lyles, who is in Paris as part of his partnership with Tide, revealed that the Olympic Village is largely without air conditioning, a critical necessity given the soaring temperatures expected to hit 99°F on July 30. "Most of the Village does not have A/C," Lyles said during a Zoom interview from Paris. "Thankfully, Team USA has bought air conditioning units. But I heard that was limited to a certain amount of countries. So it wasn’t that they didn’t want to buy, it’s that they didn’t have the option to do it."
This revelation underscores a glaring inequity between the accommodations provided to different nations, highlighting a potential oversight in the planning and execution of the Olympic Village. Lyles' comments have sparked a conversation about the need for more equitable living conditions for all athletes, regardless of their country's financial capabilities.
In addition to the air conditioning issue, Lyles also addressed the notorious "anti-sex beds" that have been a topic of discussion within the Village. "The beds are hard," Lyles confirmed. "But they have given us this foam that we can turn around and make softer or harder. It’s not that effective, but it’s something. Some athletes have brought in mattress toppers. That does make everything better."
Despite these challenges, Lyles remains positive about his experience in the Village. "I’ve enjoyed the little common areas that they have. They have these nice grab-and-go places," Lyles said. "They’ve made their own bakeries all over the Village. There’s probably 17 of them. If you don’t want the food from the cafeteria, you can grab a burger, an egg sandwich, a croissant or a pastry. Hot chocolate, tea, all those drinks are easily accessible at any moment."
Lyles' candid remarks come at a time when the Olympic Village is under scrutiny for various issues, including the relocation of American women's tennis players to a hotel due to subpar accommodations. However, Lyles maintains that his overall experience has been positive. "Of course there’s always going to be some bad and situations that are not as pleasant, but that’s my scenario with the Village that I’ve had."
As one of the biggest stars in Paris, Lyles is also navigating the challenges of fame within the Village. "I’m learning on the fly," he said. "I already have my set rules. I don’t take pictures while I eat, I don’t take pictures when I’m with my girlfriend and I don’t take pictures when I work out. Other than that, everything is pretty fair game. I don’t have a problem with that."
Lyles' girlfriend, Junelle Bromfield, is also in Paris competing for Jamaica in the 4x400m relay. Bromfield, 26, previously won a bronze medal in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Despite the challenges, Lyles remains focused on his performance and is grateful for his partnership with Tide, which has provided practical support in the form of laundry solutions. "I go through so much laundry, I’m gonna need Tide," Lyles said. "I mean, I’m a track and field athlete. Just yesterday, I was training and my coach was talking about the stains on my outfits. Olympians get stains, too! We all need to wash our clothes."
Lyles and 10-time Olympic medalist Carl Lewis are part of Tide’s 2024 Summer Olympics campaign, "Stains Happen to the Best of Us," which aims to highlight the everyday challenges faced by athletes.
As the Olympics continue, Lyles' insights into the living conditions within the Olympic Village serve as a reminder of the need for equitable treatment and support for all athletes, regardless of their country's status.