Controversial swimmer Luana Alonso celebrated a social media milestone Friday, days after it was reported she was booted from the Olympic Village in Paris due to “inappropriate” conduct.
The Paraguayan athlete revealed Friday in an Instagram Story that she has reached one million followers on the platform, explaining “it may [have] happened in a way” she didn’t envision but is appreciative of the support.
“What! 1m I can’t believe it, it may [have] happened in a way I didn’t wanted to but I want to thank you all for supporting me,” Alonso captioned a screenshot of the Instagram benchmark, along with a red heart emoji.
Alonso garnered international attention this week amid allegations she had been asked to leave the Olympic Village for “creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay.”
“Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay,” Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee said in a statement obtained by The Sun.
“We thank her for proceeding as instructed, as it was of her own free will that she did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.”
Alonso, who did not advance out of her 100m butterfly heat in late July and subsequently announced her retirement, later hit back at claims over the apparent dismissal.
“I just wanted to make it clear that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere, stop spreading false information,” Alonso wrote in a previous Instagram Story, according to the Daily Beast.
“I don’t want to give any statement but I’m not going to let lies affect me either.”
Alonso allegedly upset Paraguay’s Olympic brass by visiting Disneyland Paris instead of cheering on her compatriots at the Games.
Snaps of the theme park visit were recently shared on Alonso’s Instagram Story.
Her wardrobe was also said to be a point of contention, the Daily Mail reported.
Alonso, a two-time Olympian who competed for Southern Methodist University, was open to competing for the U.S. at the Paris Games, according to a previous Paraguayan report.