The raw meat fiasco at Paris 2024 is not the first curveball facing British Olympians.
Team GB are said to be boycotting the Olympic Village’s food and has flown out their chef to the French capital amid complaints of food shortages and uncooked meat.
But this isn’t the first time British hopefuls have been left helpless on the eve of the Games. As Steve Redgrave recalls, Atlanta 1996 provided a cautionary tale of Olympic travel woe.
“In Atlanta the big issue was transport,” said the five-time Olympic gold medallist.
“They didn’t have the volume of volunteers that they were hoping to get and there were bus drivers who came from all around the country as volunteers.
“They were given a sheet of paper that had their routes on but nothing else. Then the police closed down their routes and the drivers didn’t really know where they were going from there, so they were put off their paths and they were getting lost.”
With medals to win and world records to break, distractions aren’t something elite athletes have much time for but Redgrave concedes that such problems are inevitable at the largest sporting show on earth.
“What athletes want is boxes,” said Redgrave. “If I do this, this and this I’m going to get this. The reality is always different. There’s always something that comes up.
“Atlanta was a big one. You think you’re prepared for it but you’ve got to be prepared for the unexpected.”
Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent claimed GB’s sole gold medal in The US in 1996, securing their legacy as two of the great all-time British Olympians.
As the class of 2024 seek to claim their place in the record books, Redgrave offered some simple words of advice.
“Enjoy the experience. Enjoy being at the ultimate sporting event. It is special. It is amazing,” he said.
“Concentrate while you’re there and concentrate on what you’ve worked for: all that hard work and sacrifice and commitment you put into and make sure that you get your best result.
“The rowing team is always good because you’ve always got experienced athletes around and there’s a number of them that are Olympic champions and world champions to pass that knowledge on.
“But you always enjoy the Games much better if you’ve got your best result. That’s not always a gold medal. For some people, their goal was to get to the Olympics.
“Don’t lose sight of the experience and enjoy the whole process.”
Thanks to National Lottery players our Olympic athletes are supported to live their dreams and make the nation proud. With more than £30M a week raised for Good Causes, The National Lottery has enabled Great Britain to become a global force in rowing and has provided more opportunities for people inspired by athletes like Sir Steve Redgrave to take part in the sport. For details visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
