Swimmer sent home from Olympics after breaking rules with boyfriend speaks out on suffering 'irreparable damage’

The Brazilian swimmer sent home early from the 2024 Paris Olympics after she was caught breaking the rules with her boyfriend has spoken out about the 'irreparable damage' she has suffered.

Ana Carolina Vieira was forced to return to São Paulo as punishment after officials discovered she and her partner of four years, fellow swimmer Gabriel Santos, had snuck out of the Olympic Village without permission.

The couple are believed to have been caught red-handed after sharing social media posts of their unauthorised excursion, which didn't go down well with The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB).

Santos, 28, was given a warning as a result of the rule breaking but was allowed to stay and compete in Paris.

Vieira, on the other hand, was informed that she was no longer welcome in the Olympic Village - and she has now spoken out, via her legal team, to clarify the timeline.

Brazilian attorneys Octavio Rolim and Patrícia Britto, who both specialise in criminal law, shared a statement on Instagram on behalf of Vieira and Santos early on Wednesday (7 August).

It explained that the swimmer - who also represented Brazil at Tokyo 2020 - will be making a public statement at a 'forthcoming, appropriate time' but is currently 'undergoing psychological recovery with professional support.'

According to the solicitors, Vieira's 'professional reputation and personal dignity' has been rocked following her eviction from Paris, although she said it was an 'honour' to perform on the world stage for her country.

The statement continued: "In response to recent reports, it is important to clarify that on the afternoon of July 25, 2024, during her free time, Ana Carolina and her partner, follow swimmer Gabriel Da Silva Santos (her partner for over four years), visited the Eiffel Tower.

"This visit was a personal celebration of their careers, a common practice among athletes. The visit lasted approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, and transportation was provided by official vehicles assigned to the competitors.

"On July 26, 2024, athletes scheduled to compete in the 4x100 freestyle relay on July 27, 2024, were informed of an unjustified decision by the Technical Commission to replace one of the relay swimmers.

"Ana Carolina, motivated by her patriotism and concern for the team's performance, objected to this decision. Her objection should not be misconstrued as aggression or disrespect."

Rolim and Britto claimed that Vieira was then 'dismissed in an arbitrary manner without an opportunity to defend herself'.

"This sudden dismissal left her devastated and unsupported by the mission leaders, contributing to significant psychological and professional harm," the statement continued.

"The global misrepresentation of these events has cause irreparable damage. Necessary measures will be taken to ensure a thorough investigation of the facts by the relevant authorities."

A statement on the situation from the COB had previously explained: "The Brazilian Olympic Committee 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 authorisation 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."

The 22-year-old had already told fans she was looking into what legal action she could take following the controversy, sharing a statement on Instagram saying she 'promised to tell everything'.

"I have already filed a complaint of harassment and nothing has been resolved, harassment within the team. I will speak to my lawyers," she wrote.

"I am sad, nervous, but with a peace of mind because I know who I am, I know my character and my nature."

Brazil came 12th in the heats for the women's 4x100 metre freestyle swimming relay, which Vieira competed in, and failed to make it to the final which was subsequently won by Australia.

Sharing his thoughts on the scandal, the head of Brazil's swimming team, Gustavo Otsuka, 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."