The suspension by the two governing bodies comes almost a month after Lochte lied that he and three other USA swimmers were robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro just hours after the Olympic swimming competition concluded, touching off a scandal that overshadowed much of the final week of the Rio Games. He said the worldwide Olympic scandal was his fault and caused by his “immature behavior”.
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The aftermath of the Rio scandal has affected Lochte’s sponsorship deals as well.
The report also noted that the other three United States of America swimmers involved in the early-morning incident – Jimmy Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz – will receive lighter suspensions.
The penalty for falsely filing a crime report carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison under Brazilian law and Lochte can be tried in his absence having been summoned last month. The disciplinary measures for Lochte and fellow swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and James Feigen are effective immediately.
Lochte is also banned from the 2017 world swimming championships and will not compete in another world championship until summer 2019.
That announcement came as the gold medalist said he thought reaction to his Rio de Janeiro tale had been blown out of proportion. He won’t receive monthly funding from the Olympic Committee nor USA Swimming.
Ryan Lochte has been banned for 10 months after his false robbery claim. During a news conference, Fernando Veloso, chief of Rio’s civil police, said the men were drunk and smashed up a gas station bathroom before being confronted by security guards. In an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”, Lochte told the host that the suspension is “heartbreaking”.
Lochte left Brazil soon after the incident, but the others had their passports confiscated and were questioned by authorities – with Feigen paying a fine of about $11,000 – before being permitted to leave the country. While Lochte apologized for the misunderstanding, he still said a gun was pointed at him during the incident.
Bentz has to perform 10 hours of community service, but that’s because he broke USA Swimming’s Olympic Village curfew for athletes under 21.
“I reached out to my family and friends and they kept me positive and said, ‘you know, you have to do this, you have to get out there, ‘” Lochte said, adding that he is embracing the opportunity.
“I’m never one to dwell on the past”.
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Since the controversy erupted, a number of Lochte’s personal sponsors, including Speedo, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gentle Hair Removal and mattress-maker Airweave, have all announced that they would be cutting ties with the swimmer.
