ABrazilian swimmer has been sent home from the Olympics after sneaking out of the athletes village with her boyfriend and has taken to social media to share her side of the story.
Ana Carolina Vieira was part of her country’s 4X100m freestyle relay team which failed to make the final after they finished 12th in the heat on July 27.
It is alleged that the night before this, Vieira and her boyfriend and fellow swimmer Gabriel Santos, snuck out of the Olympic Village to spend the night experiencing Paris – something which the Brazilian Olympic Committee described as “committed acts of indiscipline”.
But the 22-year-old was caught out after posting on her social media and while Santos apologised after he was given a warning, Vieira reportedly disputed the decision.
She was also accused of challenging the formation of the relay team she competed in on Saturday, and as a result was expelled from the Brazil delegation.
The Head of the Brazilian Swimming Team, Gustavo Otsuka released a statement on the matter where he said: “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.”
But Vieira has since taken to Instagram to defend herself and alleged she wasn’t able to get her belongings from the Olympic village before travelling back to Sao Paulo via Portugal.
“I left there and left my materials, I didn’t know what to do,” Vieira said.
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“My things are there [in the Olympic Village], I went to the airport in shorts. I had to open my suitcase at the airport. I’m in Portugal, I’m going to Recife and then to São 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?”
She continued: “I have already filed a complaint of harassment and nothing has been resolved, harassment within the team.
“I will speak to my lawyers. I promise to tell everything. I am sad, nervous, but with a 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, thank you,” Vieira concluded.
At the time of writing, the BOC has not responded to Vieira’s claims in her statement.
