The International Meat Secretariat (IMS) has criticised the Paris Olympics Committee for a “lack of adequate proteins” available at this year’s Games, as reports of Team GB accessing food externally have arisen.
As the Olympics kick off in Paris, there have been reports of a lack of adequate proteins in the Olympic Village, with foods like eggs and meats being rationed.
Organisers of the Olympics had previously announced a “focus on sustainability”, with a third of all food at the Olympic Village planned to be plant-based. All meat, eggs and milk were sourced from France, while 25% of all ingredients were to be sourced within a 250km radius from Paris and 30% were to be organic. The Olympics committee said that 80% of the total food provided would be of French origin.
Ahead of the Olympics, the IMS wrote to the organising committee to criticise its decision to half the amount of meat used across the event’s catering.
In a letter, IMS said: “Animal-sourced foods play an important role in healthy nutritious diets for spectators, and more importantly for the athletes at the Paris Olympics. High-performing athletes have increased needs for several nutrients that these food groups are important sources of.
“The goal should be to promote best practices and limit harm, independent of whether the foods and meals are of plant- or animal-based origin.”
“IMS supports the initiative to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains in catering meals at the Paris Olympics. However, its commitment to halving the amount of meat and other animal-sourced foods sends a simplistic message to the public that these food groups do not play important roles in our diet.
“To pit animal-sourced and plant-based foods against each other is too simplistic and unfortunately impairs the credibility of this Olympics commitment.”
IMS continued: “It’s also crucial to note that not all plant-based foods are environmentally benign; many require significant inputs of water, energy and chemicals. Hence, regarding sustainability, the goal should be to promote best practices and limit harm, independent of whether the foods and meals are of plant- or animal-based origin.”
The letter detailed how well-maintained livestock production systems contribute positively to ecosystem services, with livestock a “crucial part” of the French and European food system. It encouraged the Committee to encourage sustainable livestock farming as part of a mixed food production system, which it said was “more effective than communicating plant-based foods as more sustainable than animal-sourced foods.”
“Failure to provide adequate and nutritious protein”
Following reports of the shortages and with IMS having received no response from the Committee, secretary general of the IMS Dr Phil Hadley said: “As a Paris-based organisation, the International Meat Secretariat, which represents the global red meat sector, wrote to the Olympic organising committee last month and was critical of the stance in reducing the availability of meat protein in the catering, highlighting the important role meat plays in a balanced and healthy diet alongside other foodstuffs.
“It’s unfortunate that on the biggest stage the committee failed to provide adequate and nutritious protein for competitors and visitors and took a largely plant-based approach - which is misguided nutritionally - while failing to support the French farming sector.”
