The world watched on yesterday as the news broke that an Olympic athlete had been sent home after getting caught trying to break a major rule with boyfriend.
It was confirmed over the weekend that Brazilian swimmer, Ana Carolina Vieira, had been sent packing from the 2024 Paris Games with her teammate and boyfriend, Gabriel Santos, being given a warning after they were caught red handed doing something that’s a big 'no-no'.
Since her expulsion from the Olympic Village, the Head of the Brazilian Swimming Team, Gustavo Otsuka, has explained exactly what led to such a punishment.
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The Brazilian Olympic Committee confirmed on Sunday 28 July that Vieira left the athletes' village with her boyfriend without permission.
Otsuka has since explained that the swimmers committed acts of indiscipline which meant that the members of the Technical Commission of the sport, the Team Leader and Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA), had to come up with a suitable punishment.
The CBDA and the COB ultimately decided to punish them for leaving the Olympic Village without authorisation.
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According to the CBDA, athlete Ana Carolina was disrespectful and aggressive when she opposed the decision, which meant that instead of being warned, like Santos was, she was dismissed entirely.
The statement read: "As a result, Gabriel Santos was given a warning and Ana Carolina Vieira was dismissed from the delegation. She will return to Brazil immediately."
Otsuka also explained the decision and why her behaviour isn’t acceptable to Reuters.
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He said: "We're not here playing or taking a vacation.
“We're here working for Brazil, for the 200 million taxpayers who are working for us.
"We can't play around here. She took a completely inappropriate position to make her point, her dismay, about the formation of the relay."
He went on to share that it was her aggressive manor that ultimately was her downfall and had her kicked out of the Olympics - a place that athletes dream of competing in.
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Otsuka continued: "It was during this period that we decided to take this situation to the disciplinary committee, discussed it and took the appropriate action. We ended up finding out through the posts."
Vieira has since spoken out about the being sent home from the prestigious sporting event via Instagram.
In the three clips shared to her story, she claimed to have done nothing wrong and to have filed a complaint of harassment with the COB, which she said was allegedly ignored.
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Vieira also claimed she left the village without getting the chance to gather her belongings, saying: "I left there and left my materials, I didn’t know what to do.
"My things are there [in the Olympic Village], I went to the airport in shorts. I had to open my suitcase at the airport. I’m in Portugal, I’m going to Recife and then to São Paulo.
"I am helpless, I have had no access to anything, I have not been able to speak to anyone. They told me to contact the COB channels. But how am I going to get in touch?"
The swimmer continued: "I have already filed a complaint of harassment and nothing has been resolved, harassment within the team.
"I will speak to my lawyers. I promise to tell everything. I am sad, nervous, but with a peace of mind because I know who I am, I know what my character and my nature are.
"I hope to be able to defend Brazilian women’s swimming with great pride. I ask for patience, thank you."
Topics: News, Olympics, Sex and Relationships, Sport, World News
Rhiannon Ingle