The Olympics is the world’s largest competition of sporting talent and athletic achievements. But it sometimes fails to unveil the trials and tribulations that the athletes undergo away from the sporting arena. In recent events you all must have been enlightened about the glamorous and more challenging aspects of this prestigious event. These issues are not isolated incidents affecting one athlete but part of a broader pattern impacting many sportspersons. 

Menstrual Challenges: Saikhom Mirabai Chanu’s Struggle 

Mirabai Saikhom Chanu, a weightlifter and Olympic silver medalist encountered some difficulties during her participation, in the Paris 2024 Olympics. On the day of the competition, she felt discomfort and fatigue due to her menstrual cycle. Her performance clearly showed the impact. She couldn’t do as well and narrowly missed the medal. Her experience is not an anomaly; numerous athletes regularly confront such hurdles. This underscores the need for increased awareness and support concerning women health issues in sports. 

Vinesh Phogat: The Weight Struggle 

Another Famous Indian athlete who had an incident regarding the regulation was wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was flagged for weight management issues. It was only days before her match when Phogat realized that she was two kilograms over her ideal fighting weight.  
This kind of weight gain is mainly  due to water retention within the body,  resulting from training and the environmental conditions involved during performance. According to reports, some of the steps she took to help shed those extra kilos included cutting her hair, exercising and she even went without eating for two days. Because of dehydration she became unconscious and was hospitalized. 

Paris 2024: A Controversial Setup 

There have been many complaints about meat supply at Paris Olympics as many athletes take meat as their source of protein, lack of ventilation in some rooms as well as unavailability of air conditioners in some of the rooms . Several  athletes have made revelations about  inherent systematic failures in the planning and implementation.   

The Olympics therefore represents successes of human spirit and determination but the fight to the top is not an easy one as seen from the struggles that occur in the background. These problems prove the necessity of improvement in athlete support services and facilities, so that the Olympics remain a fair competition.  
 

Even though the Olympics honor human brilliance and perseverance, the difficulties encountered behind the scenes show how difficult the road to success is. These problems show how crucial it is to upgrade the facilities and services available to athletes in order to maintain the Olympics as an inclusive competition. 
Athletes are facing difficulties of maintaining weight categories, poor infrastructure and health issues impairing their performance. One must resolve these problems to preserve the integrity and fundamental principles of the spirit and to succeed.