What Athletes Can And Can't Do In The Olympic Village

As the iconic Olympic Village returns to Paris, a century after the first athlete accommodations were built for the 1924 Summer Games, it is clear that many changes have been made since the original small wooden huts. Today, the Olympic Village in St. Denis, just north of Central Paris and right on the Seine River with a view of the Eiffel Tower, serves as a modern and comfortable home away from home for athletes. But with this luxury comes strict rules and guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of each country's competitors.

Daniel Smith, Team USA's Olympic Village Director, shared with PEOPLE the dos and don'ts that athletes must abide by during their stay. "There are other countries who have different rules," Smith explains. "Every delegation manages it differently."

Rules in the Olympic Village:

• Entry Dates: The Olympic Village opened on July 18, and athletes can move in but aren’t required to do so immediately.

• Residency Requirements: Athletes must reside with their country's team. "We can't share an apartment with another country," Smith clarifies. Team USA, with 593 athletes, has four buildings in the Bastille cluster.

• Visitor Restrictions: Family and friends are not allowed in the Olympic Village. Instead, athletes can meet them outside the village in Paris. However, nursing mothers are allowed to bring their infants into the Village Nursery.

• Security Measures: Athlete security can enter the Olympic Village only at specific times, such as during the Olympic Opening Night Ceremony. The Village prioritizes safety, with a strict security perimeter and prohibitions on firearms and other weapons.

• Roommate Policies: Each sports team decides on athletes' roommates. Minors must room with other minors, with strict guidelines ensuring underage athletes are paired appropriately.

• Customizable Comfort: Athletes can customize their mattresses based on their sleep preferences, with Team USA covering the costs for any mattress toppers. The infamous cardboard beds from the Tokyo Games return, but athletes have the option to make them more comfortable.

• Mingling and Diet: While athletes must stay with their national teams, they can mingle with competitors from other countries. The Olympic Village encourages cultural exchange and camaraderie among athletes who often know each other from universities or competitions.

• Dining: The dining hall offers a variety of food stations, including world cuisine, Asian, Latin American, halal, vegetarian, and a French bakery. Athletes can bring their own food or have specific dietary products shipped to the Village.

• Exit and Re-entry: Athletes can leave and re-enter the Olympic Village, but must go through the full security process each time.

• No Pets Allowed: Unfortunately, pets are not permitted in the Olympic Village due to French governmental regulations.

• Alcohol Policy: Alcohol is not allowed in the Olympic Village for Team USA's delegation. The alcohol ban helps maintain a respectful and high-performance environment until the games conclude on August 12.