Simone Biles helped lead Team USA to another gold medal in the team gymnastics competition at the Olympics on Tuesday. However, she did so with a messy bun that looked abnormally disheveled.
The 27-year-old legend defended herself on Instagram by exposing the frustrating conditions for the athletes in Paris.
This year’s Games are supposed to be the “greenest” of all-time. France is taking great pride in its environmentally-conscious approach to the Olympics and took every opportunity to limit the ecological impact of the largest sporting event in the world. Even the Olympic “flame” is a farce!
Although it is a great thing that the environment was considered a priority, a lot of the measures were not in the best interest of the athletes. The infamous cardboard beds can all be recycled after the Closing Ceremonies, but they are extremely uncomfortable so some delegations chose to bring their own beds. The lack of air conditioning in the Athlete’s Village cuts way down on the use of electricity and Co2 emissions, but Paris is in the middle of a major heatwave. Room temperatures are uncomfortable.
Team USA told the Olympics to kick rocks over the A/C ban and brought its own portable units for each one of its athletes. Many other countries did the same.
Although that solved the issue for the Athlete’s Village, the lack of air conditioning also applies to other parts of the Olympics — like transportation. For example, team buses have windows. They don’t have A/C.
Here is where Simone Biles’ bun comes into play.
It was noticably messy during the team competition.
Team USA’s biggest star had her hair done in the Olympic Village. The Olympic Village is located on a 51-hectare site less than five miles north of Paris in Saint-Denis, Saint Ouen, and L’Île-Saint-Denis. Gymnastics competition is being held at Bercy Arena, in the southeastern corner of Paris.
The two locations are not particularly close to one another, especially with road closures.
Paris is excruciatingly hot and humid right now. Temperatures exceeded the 90º (Fahrenheit) mark on Tuesday. Gymnasts were forced to drive about 45 minutes from the village to the arena— without air.
Thus, Simone Biles’ hair did not stay like she had hoped.
To be stuck on a packed A/C-less bus for almost an hour before competition is brutal!