Paraguayan swimmer Luan Alonso has found herself at the center of a media storm after revealing she received a direct message on Instagram from Brazilian footballer Neymar. The 20-year-old swimmer even claimed the former Brazil captain is a fan of hers and messaged her on social media. “He sent me a DM. That’s all I can say. It was left on the request form. I cannot tell this here,” Alonso stated on Paraguayan radio show Aire de Todos, as quoted by Fox Sports Mexico.
This revelation comes on the heels of reports alleging that Alonso was kicked out of the Paris Olympics village by the organizing committee for “creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay.” The details surrounding this alleged incident remain unclear, with Larissa Schaerer, the head of the COP mission, simply stating, “Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay. We thank her for proceeding as instructed, as it was of her own free will that she did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.”
However, Alonso vehemently denied these reports, urging people to “stop spreading false information.” In a surprising twist, Alonso announced her retirement from swimming, stating that the Paris Olympics marked her final competition. “It’s official now! I’m retiring from swimming, thank you all so much for the support! Sorry Paraguay. I only have to thank you!” she posted on social media.
Alonso competed in the women’s 100m butterfly at the Paris Olympics, finishing sixth and failing to qualify for the semifinals. She holds multiple Paraguayan records in the butterfly discipline. The Paris Olympics concluded on August 11th, with the closing ceremony commencing at 9 pm local time (12:30 AM IST, August 12). The events surrounding Luan Alonso have undoubtedly added an unexpected layer of intrigue to the end of the Games.
