FULL OLYMPICS SCHEDULE: When the top Aussie medal hopes are in action

’PROFOUND LOSS’: BOXING COACH DIES AT PARIS OLYMPIC VILLAGE

Samoa’s boxing coach died at the Paris Olympics village after the 60-year-old had a cardiac arrest, officials said on Saturday.

Governing body the IBA sent its “heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues” of Lionel Elika Fatupaito following his sudden death on Friday, the day of the opening ceremony.

He was treated by emergency services but they were unable to save him, according to the local prosecutor’s office, which said he died of “natural causes”.

“Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on the boxing community,” the International Boxing Association (IBA) said in a statement.

“His legacy will continue to inspire future generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with team Samoa and all those affected by this profound loss.”

The Olympic boxing in the French capital started on Saturday.

COMMENTATOR’S $106M SERENA SNUB

Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, was confused for an “umbrella holder” during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony by a European Olympics commentator.

Williams, 42, and the Reddit co-founder decided to partake in the French festivities and when she took to the red carpet, a downfall of rain ensued.

Ohanian proceeded to be a gentleman by holding an umbrella over his wife’s head, and the gesture caught the eyes of a ceremony broadcaster, New York Post reports.

“She looks absolutely incredible,” a Eurosport commentator said.

“She’s got someone just behind us holding an umbrella.

“Those are the levels you aspire to.

“To have an actual umbrella holder behind you.”

Ohanian, who according to Forbes in 2019 has estimated net worth of AU$106 million, addressed how he is unknown to many for the work he does.

“More people know me for the pancakes I do than for creating Reddit, and you know what, I’m OK with that,” Ohanian laughed during an interview with Access Hollywood.

Williams fittingly got to carry the Olympic flame during the torch relay with Rafael Nadal.

— New York Post

NIGERIAN ATHLETES DENIED ENTRY TO CEREMONY

The Nigeria women’s basketball team was reportedly denied entry to the delegation’s boat at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on Saturday morning AEST.

According to AP, the team wasn’t permitted to enter the boat after a Nigerian official told the players there were too many people on board. Nigeria shared its boat with athletes from Niger and Norway.

The Nigerian athletes had travelled 222km in a two-hour bus trip from Lille, where the preliminary basketball rounds are being played, to attend the Opening Ceremony.

Nigeria will face Australia in the women’s basketball on Monday at 7pm AEST.

‘RAW MEAT’: BRITISH TEAM FUME AT PARIS FOOD

France may be the home of haute cuisine but the British team have been less than impressed about the food on offer at the Paris Olympic village, especially “raw meat”.

Britain have brought in an extra chef as a result and complained about a shortage of the right food at the village, and the quality of what’s on offer, English media reported.

Andy Anson, the British Olympic Association chief executive, told The Times that the fare at the village in the French capital “is not adequate” and that “a dramatic improvement” was needed.

Some British competitors have headed off to Team GB’s base elsewhere in the city to get fed and pick up packed meals to take back for dinner.

“There are not enough of certain foods: eggs, chicken, certain carbohydrates,” Anson said of the apparently disappointing offering at the village where many athletes stay.

“And then there is the quality of the food, with raw meat being served to athletes.”

Anson called the food problem “the biggest issue at the moment” and said the added chef was to cater for the extra demand at their so-called performance lodge.

A Team GB spokesman told AFP on Friday, hours before the opening ceremony, that things were looking up.

“I think the latest update is that we understand the situation is improving and being attended to by Paris 2024,” he said.

French sports newspaper L’Equipe on Wednesday quoted a firm responsible for catering as saying that it was aware of issues, including a shortage of eggs, and was working to increase supplies.

JUDOKA FAILS DOPING TEST IN FIRST CASE AT PARIS

An Iraqi judoka has tested positive for banned anabolic steroids at the Paris Olympics, the International Testing Agency announced on Friday — the first positive doping test at the Games.

The ITA said a sample collected from Sajjad Sehen had “returned an adverse analytical finding for the non-specified prohibited substances metandienone and boldenone”.

Both drugs are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The sample was collected by the ITA during an out-of-competition anti-doping control on Tuesday in Paris, with the result reported by the WADA-accredited laboratory of Paris on Thursday.

The 28-year-old first-time Olympian had been due to compete next week in the men’s 81-kilogram class.

The ITA statement said the athlete had been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter.

“This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity during the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” it said.

The manager of Iraq’s delegation, Herda Raouf, told AFP that Sehen and his coach would be questioned by doping chiefs on Saturday.

“It is worth noting that the player had previously undergone a surgical operation, which may have caused him to take some type of medication,” Raouf said.

The ITA said Sehen had the right to challenge his provisional suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and can also request an analysis of the B sample.

The ITA manages an independent anti-doping programme for the Olympics in Paris on behalf of the International Olympic Committee.