Olympic swimmer sent home for breaking athlete's village rules with boyfriend speaks out
The Olympic swimmer who has been sent packing from the Olympic Games after 'breaking rules' with her boyfriend has now spoken out since the shock decision was made to send her home.
Ana Carolina Vieira has been sent home from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after leaving the Olympic village with her boyfriend Gabriel Santos - a swimmer also competing in the Olympics.
While Santos received a warning and remains in the Games, Vieira has now spoken out and told her side of the story.
The decision to send Vieira home came via the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), who was found out through her and Santos' social media posts, which suggest they wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower.
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Vieira had already participated in the women's 4x100 metre freestyle swimming relay on the day (27 July), with the Brazilian team placing 12th in the heats for the event, meaning they didn't make it to the final which was won by Australia.
Now, in a video posted on her Instagram, a tearful and upset Vieira has explained her side of the story.
She said: "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."
She added: "I had to open my suitcase at the airport. I'm in Portugal. I'm going to Recife and then to Sao 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?
"I have already filed a complaint of harassment, and nothing has been resolved, harassment within the team."
She also revealed she is planning legal action when she returns home, as she continued: "I will speak to my lawyers. I promise to tell everything. I am sad, nervous, but with 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 and thank you."
A statement on the situation said: "The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) received this Saturday, 27 July, a statement from the Head of the Brazilian Swimming Team, Gustavo Otsuka, with the information that swimmers Ana Carolina Vieira and Gabriel Santos committed acts of indiscipline.
"With this, in common agreement with the members of the Technical Committee of the sport, with the Team Leader and with the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA), the COB decided to punish the two athletes for having left the Olympic Village without authorization last Friday.
"In addition to this fact, the athlete Ana Carolina, in a disrespectful and aggressive manner, contested the technical decision taken by the Brazilian Swimming Team committee.
"Thus, athlete Gabriel Santos was punished with a warning and athlete Ana Carolina Vieira was punished with removal from the delegation.
"She will return to Brazil immediately."
Gustavo Otsuka, the head of Brazil's swimming team, also commented on the situation as he added: "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."
Topics: Olympics, Sport, World News
Niamh Spence