Thomas Ceccon is one of Italy’s swimming stars at the 2024 Olympics. The 23-year-old swimmer won gold in his signature event, the men’s 100m backstroke, and was part of the Italian team that won the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

But recently, Thomas Ceccon has become a social media sensation with a photo of him napping on a blanket in a park. The photo was taken by Saudi Arabian rower Husein Alireza and shared on social media.

Thomas Ceccon lay down on a white sheet and lay on the grass next to a chair. The Olympic champion’s sleeping pictures have sparked controversy over the conditions at the 2024 Olympic Village . It is unclear whether the photo was taken before or after Ceccon was eliminated from the men’s 4x100m individual medley qualifying round.

Previously, the Italian swimmer had complained about living conditions at the athletes’ village.

“The 2024 Olympic Village has no air conditioning, it’s hot, the food is not good. I can’t sleep at night or in the afternoon. Many athletes have chosen to leave the village for this reason. This is not an excuse or a justification, but a reality that not everyone knows. Normally, when I’m at home, I always sleep in the afternoon. But here, I really struggle with the heat and noise,” Thomas Ceccon expressed his disappointment.

In addition to Thomas Ceccon, Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus has also spoken out about this issue: “Living in the 2024 Olympic athletes’ village makes it difficult for me to perform at my best. This is definitely not a place for high-performance athletes.”

The 2024 Olympic Village is a 53-hectare site on the outskirts of Paris that will house around 10,500 athletes during the 2024 Olympics.