"We shouldn't be stressed about sleeping on a cardboard bed" - Simone Biles demands the best of the best for Olympic athletes

American gymnastics star Simone Biles recently demanded top-tier facilities for athletes at stages like the Olympic Games. This follows reports of athletes' subpar accommodation experience during the Paris Olympics.

The Paris Olympics faced significant criticism after athletes registered complaints about poor facilities at the Olympic Village. Participants were reportedly offered beds made out of cardboard and fishing net mattresses.

Athletes like Adam Peaty also expressed their disappointment in the 60% vegan food options, which were not conducive to the protein intake needed for their peak performance. Some of them even reported finding worms in their meals. Due to these conditions, several competitors, including Tara Davis-Woodhall, left the Village to stay in hotels.

Simone Biles, who won four medals at the Paris Olympics to become the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history, discussed a change she wants to see at the upcoming LA 2028 Olympics. In a conversation with Us Weekly, she stated that the best athletes in the world gather at such competitions and hence deserve top-notch services.

"We're the best athletes in the world so I feel like for just one or two weeks we deserve the best of the best," she said. "You know we shouldn't be stressing about we are sleeping on a cardboard bed." [0:27 onwards]

Biles referred to sleeping on the cardboard beds as one of the lows of the Paris Olympic Village.

"The lows, like okay, cardboard beds, it's like we're elite athletes trying to compete on the biggest stage of our lives, the most important meet of our life and they are like hey try doing it after you sleep on this cardboard bed." [0:07 onwards]

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"Not many people in the world can do it to this level" - Simone Biles talks gymnastics and her chances of competing at the LA Olympics

Simone Biles at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (Image via Getty)

Simone Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, recently spoke about her participation at the LA Olympics in 2028. The 27-year-old said that she would never rule out the opportunity, especially considering that the next quadrennial event is on her home turf. She was quoted as saying (via USA Today):

"Never say never. The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know,” she said Saturday night, before starting to laugh. “But I am getting really old."

Biles also noted that very few people can do gymnastics at such a high level and expressed the sense of liberation she feels while competing.

"Not many people in the world can do it to this level, so once we’re out here, the floor is our stage. It just feels so freeing for us. We’re in our element, we’re having fun and doing what we love to do,” Biles said.

Biles added that she strives to give her absolute best every time she competes and that she loves the sport.