US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte gets 10-month suspension for Rio scandal

REUTERS

8 years ago

In this Aug. 9, 2016, file photo, United States’ Ryan Lochte checks his time after a men’ 4×200-meter freestyle relay heat during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A Brazilian police official told The Associated Press that Lochte fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro. (Martin Meissner, File/AP)

In this Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016 frame from surveillance video released by Brazil Police, swimmer Ryan Lochte, second from right, of the United States, and teammates, appear at a gas station during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A top Brazil police official said the swimmers damaged property at the gas station. (Brazil Police via AP)

United States’ Ryan Lochte competes in the men’s 200-meter individual medley final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Aug. 11, 2016. (Michael Sohn/AP)

In this Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, United States’ Ryan Lochte checks his time in a men’s 4×200-meter freestyle heat during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Michael Sohn/AP)

American swimmer Ryan Lochte has been suspended for 10 months, U.S. media reported on Wednesday, following a scandal involving the U.S. Olympic athlete and three other swimmers at the Rio Games.

The suspension was handed down by the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Swimming, USA Today reported, citing an unnamed source. Celebrity gossip website TMZ, citing unnamed sources, also reported the suspension. No further details were available.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports. Neither the U.S. Olympic Committee nor USA Swimming immediately responded to requests for comment.

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.

Brazilian authorities said the group destroyed a bathroom and urinated in public, and have recommended that Lochte be charged with falsely reporting a crime.

USA Today also reported that the three other swimmers were suspended, although for shorter lengths of time, and that Lochte would be banned from a championship swim meet in Budapest in 2017.

Late last month, ABC television said Lochte was joining the cast of “Dancing With the Stars,” a competition in which celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers.

That announcement came as the gold medalist said he thought reaction to his Rio de Janeiro tale had been blown out of proportion.