Beijing 2022 under fire by Olympics athletes for bad food, quarantine conditions

The Beijing Olympics Chinese organizers are under fire for the inhospitable conditions athletes have faced after being quarantined for a positive COVID test.

Olympic athletes from different nationalities have taken to social media to complain about the lack of information, edible food, or workout equipment.

"I'm very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes. I want all this to end. I cry every day," said Russian biathlete Valeria Vasnetsova on her Instagram account.

Vasnetsova also used the platform to complain about the food she had been served in her quarantine facility. A now-deleted post from Feb. 3 showed a photo of some plain pasta, charred meat, an orange-looking sauce and no vegetables.

"I've been getting this for breakfast, lunch and dinner for five days now,” Vasnetsova wrote. “I've lost a lot of weight and my bones are sticking out. I can't eat anything else, I don't know anything about my corona tests. I only sleep all day because I don't even have the strength to get out of bed. I only eat three handfuls of pasta a day because it's just impossible to eat the rest of the food."

The Olympians and their coaches have also criticized the organizers for inconsistent COVID-19 testing and policies.

Polish short track speedskater Natalia Maliszewska was ruled out of her strongest event, the 500-meters, after testing positive on Jan. 30, but unexpectedly released from lockdown the day before her race. She was returned to isolation after testing positive a couple hours before the qualifier, then released the day after when she tested negative.

"My heart can't take it," the emotionally crushed Palaszewski wrote in an Instagram post.

U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor also tested positive but was released from isolation and allowed to compete. The three-time Olympic Medalist only had a single weight plate in her room to work out until she was able to procure more equipment.

The International Olympic Committee held a press briefing Monday where they assured reporters steps were being taken to address “individual circumstances which are still challenging” and the IOC had been in touch with athletes unsatisfied with their conditions in quarantine.

However, IOC sports director Kit McConnel said the Beijing Olympic organizing committee was responsible for “dialogue with the hotels” where the athletes and support staff are staying, not the IOC.