If you were an Olympian competing for glory in Paris right now, would you rather sleep on a single bed made out of cardboard in a that might not be air-conditioned? Or a plush king mattress at one of the world’s best hotels? A few days in, athletes are divided.
"To live the full experience, you need to be in the village,” Rafael Nadal told reporters on Monday after a straight-sets men’s singles loss to longtime rival Novak Djokovic. "We are used to staying in hotels or houses with the things probably more comfortable than how the things are in the village,” he said.
"Playing Olympic Games without being in the village is like playing another event,” added Nadal, who has earned almost $135 million in career prize money, and bolstered his wealth further through lucrative endorsements.