Lochte faces the most serious consequences following the scandal, with a 10 month suspension from domestic and worldwide USA Swimming national team competitions, including the 2017 National Championships.
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Lochte was among four United States swimmers that initially claimed they had been robbed at gunpoint when returning to the Olympic Village before closed circuit television footage emerged of the men vandalising a petrol station following a night out.
What about Lochte’s team mates?
“The behavior of these athletes was not acceptable”, USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said in a statement Thursday, referring to Lochte and his three other teammates, who were also involved in the alleged gas station altercation in August. Lochte will not get the $25,000 bonus that the USOC awards to gold medalists and won’t be eligible for his monthly USA Swimming stipend of $3,250 during the suspension, according to ESPN.
In the wake of the incident, Lochte lost all of his major sponsorship deals, which were estimated to be worth at least $1 million annually.
FINA, swimming’s global governing body, announced Thursday it would take no further action against the four, calling the suspensions already meted out “proportionate, adequate and sufficient”.
In addition to his longer suspension, Lochte, 32, will perform 20 hours of community service and will be barred from the 2017 World Championships.
He was charged by Brazilian police last month with making a false report about being robbed at gunpoint during a night out.
The gas-station episode, and Lochte’s “exaggerated” description of it later to newscasters, created an global hubbub and an embarrassment for Olympic officials.
Lochte is now busy training for Dancing with the Stars, with the season premiere Monday.
Lochte took his Olympic medals haul to 12 after helping capture the men’s 4×200 metres freestyle gold, but his achievement was overshadowed by his actions outside the pool in Rio. “When Code of Conduct infractions occur, it’s our responsibility to take action that reflects the seriousness of what happened”, USA Swimming’s Executive Director Chuck Wielgus said in the statement.
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Image: In this still image from video Olympic gold medallist swimmer Ryan Lochte of the USA gives an interview to Globo TV at their studios in New York City, August 20, 2016. “… Unfortunately, this storyline took attention away from the athletes who deserved it the most”.
