For instance, athletes could relax downstairs while playing table tennis or billiards. For the most celebrated Olympians, an obvious challenge is the temptation of money and success. For one Cuban athlete, gaining that precious concentration meant talking on a Religious Services Center phone for four hours to his father, with whom he had not spoken in 20 years. International athletes also face the additional pressures of adjusting to an unfamiliar culture. This can be particularly daunting for those from poorer nations.
Some athletes come here with no shoes.
Other people here are millionaires. And of course, there was the intense disappointment most athletes confront when they do not make the finals. One athlete, the first Olympian ever to represent Cape Verde Islands, injured himself several days before the Opening Ceremonies. With tears in his eyes, he told a chaplain that he would have to drop out of competition. Free Christian reading materials and Bibles were available for athletes and delegations.