Lochte, 32, was dropped by four of his major sponsors after admitting he “overexaggerated” a tale about being robbed and held at gunpoint with the three other swimmers after a party during the Rio Olympics.
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The embellishment of the story drew considerable attention and made the incident a prominent storyline during the second half of the Olympics, thus taking the focus away from athletes still competing.
But Rio police said the story was fabricated.
Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, James Feigen and Lochte have agreed to serve the suspensions.
Based on their findings, the police charged Lochte and his teammate Jimmy Feigen with filing a false robbery report. Phelps was suspended for 6 months after a DUI arrest in 2014.
The United States Olympic Committee and USA Swimming today jointly announced disciplinary measures for four members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team. During the suspension, no direct support or access to training centers or other facilities of the USOC. 3.
The prospective ban, which has still to be officially confirmed, would see Lochte miss the swimming world championships in 2017 and would also throw serious doubt over whether he could add to his 12 Olympic medals during the Tokyo Games in four years’ time, according to CNN. Bentz must perform 10 hours of community service for violating a USA Swimming curfew for athletes under age 21.
Lochte, who must perform 20 hours of community service before reinstatement, will spend at least part of his suspension appearing on “Dancing With the Stars”.
Ryan Lochte said he was in a “really dark place” and wanted to hide following the controversy over the Rio incident, which ultimately led to a 10-month suspension from national and worldwide swim competitions.
Bentz, Conger and Feigen will be suspended from domestic and worldwide USA swimming national team competitions for four months and will not receive monthly funding from USA Swimming or USOC during that period. At some point, security guards approached Lochte and company and demanded money, with guns drawn in the direction of the swimmers.
“I’ve been swimming my entire life and I’ve never taken a break”, he says.
Top sponsors, including Speedo and Ralph Lauren, abandoned the Olympic gold medal victor in the uproar over the made-up story, potentially costing him millions in endorsements.
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Lochte might be hoping his DWTS gig will take some of the attention away from his Rio snafu.
