Olympic gold medalist Thomas Ceccon sleeps in park amid accommodation complaints in Paris
Paris: Olympic gold medallist and Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon was recently spotted sleeping on the ground in a park within the Paris Olympic village. This comes after Ceccon, who won gold in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, expressed concerns about the living conditions in the village.
Ceccon had raised issues about the lack of air conditioning and poor food quality, stating that many athletes have opted to move out of the Olympic village for these reasons. He mentioned that the heat and noise made it difficult to rest, affecting his performance and overall comfort. "There is no air conditioning in the village, it's hot, the food is bad. Many athletes move for this reason: it's not an alibi or excuse, it's the reality of what perhaps not everyone knows," Ceccon said, as reported by The Sun.
A photo shared on Instagram by Saudi Arabian rower Husein Alireza showed Ceccon lying on a towel in a park, highlighting the challenging conditions. The timing of the photo, whether before or after Ceccon's unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the men's 4x100m medley relay final, is unclear.
The situation in the Olympic village has also drawn criticism from other athletes, including American tennis star Coco Gauff. The entire US tennis team, except for Gauff, reportedly sought alternative lodging. In response to the concerns, the Indian Sports Ministry sent 40 portable air conditioners to assist athletes in staying cool amid the high temperatures and lack of air conditioning in the apartments.
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Udupi: Woman, bank employee arrested in property tax fraud case
Udupi: Udupi City Police have arrested two persons, including a woman, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of property tax funds belonging to the Udupi Municipal Council.
The accused have been identified as Shalini, who was working as a tax consultant outside the municipal office, and Ganesh, a bank employee.
According to police, Anand Suvarna had paid Rs 34,730 towards 12 years of property tax for his building in Kalmadi to Shalini on October 16, 2025. She reportedly issued him a receipt acknowledging the payment.
However, when Suvarna recently checked the status of the payment on the property tax portal, he found that the amount had not been credited and was still shown as pending. He then brought the matter to the notice of the Municipal Commissioner, who verified that the payment had not been recorded.
During questioning, Shalini allegedly admitted to the lapse. On February 16, 2026, she generated a new challan in Suvarna’s name and paid Rs 35,213 towards the dues.
Police said a case has been registered at the Udupi City Police Station against the accused for allegedly misappropriating tax money and defrauding the government by affixing the seal of Union Bank on the challan without remitting the amount initially received from the taxpayer.
Further investigation is under way.
