Paris Olympics Go Green campaign backfires? Malaysian athlete installs cooling unit herself
This sparked widespread criticism of the facilities provided for the world’s top athletes, who were expected to stay in the Olympic village during the Paris Olympics.
SHAH ALAM - The Paris Olympic Village has come under fire after two-time world junior champion and Malaysian badminton player Goh Jin Wei was seen installing a temporary cooling unit in her room by herself.
This sparked widespread criticism of the facilities provided for the world’s top athletes, who were expected to stay in the village during the Olympics.
Goh posted on her Instagram account a video of her attempting to set up the cooling unit by herself.
The video has since gone viral on social media with netizens expressing frustration over France's "Go Green" excuse, calling it stingy.
There were also comments about the small room with two single beds provided for athletes which netizens said looked cramped and unprofessional, raising questions about the suitability of the accommodations for athletes.
Actress Lana Nodin also expressed her concern, commenting, "Terrible Paris, embarrassing for Olympic host."
Her sentiment was echoed by others who voiced their disappointment over the event’s organisation.
An Instagram user Doan Ngoc Hieu highlighted the perceived hypocrisy of the situation, stating, "They said save the world, but if you want it (the air conditioner) you have to pay for it. Instead of giving it free, now they can earn from that."
Mages Chua wrote "What a nightmare. Shocking. Not only is the room not well-equipped but there was also no assistance to set it up for the athletes."
The frustration extended to concerns about the overall management and environmental claims of the Olympic village.
Another social media user Purple Aqua Dragon commented "They said no A/C will be installed because they plan to be low carbon, but after athletes raised concern over the heat, International Olympic Committee (IOC) finally allowed for athletes to bring A/C. I guess the "Go Green" campaign backfired."
Replying to the comment, WonderJae_ wrote "Go Green is nonsense, just say stingy."
The controversy was sparked despite efforts by the Paris 2024 organisers to promote an eco-friendly Olympic village.
The complex, located in a northern suburb of Paris, was constructed with a geothermal cooling system designed to use cool water pumped from deep beneath the ground.
However, the lack of air-conditioning has been a significant concern for many national Olympic teams, particularly given the recent summer heat waves in Paris.
In response to these concerns, organisers have agreed to allow teams to order portable air-conditioning units at their own expenses, which can be installed for the duration between July 26 and Aug 11 during the olympics.
The village will be fitted with 2,500 temporary cooling units to mitigate the issue.
Despite these measures, the incident with Goh has highlighted the ongoing challenges and criticisms faced by the Paris 2024 Olympic organisers as they strived to balance environmental sustainability with the comfort and needs of the athletes.
