Brazilian Olympic swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira has been sent home from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after allegedly breaking athlete village rules by leaving with her boyfriend, fellow swimmer Gabriel Santos.
While Santos received a warning, Vieira has been removed from the Games and has shared her side of the story.
Vieira participated in the women’s 4×100 metre freestyle relay on 27 July, with the Brazilian team finishing 12th in the heats.
Following the event, she and Santos reportedly left the Olympic Village without authorization to visit the Eiffel Tower, leading to the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) deciding her fate based on social media posts.
In a tearful video posted on Instagram, Vieira expressed her distress: “I left there and left my materials. I didn’t know what to do. My things are there [in the Olympic Village]. I went to the airport in shorts.” She further explained her difficult situation, noting, “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?”
Vieira revealed plans for legal action, asserting her intent to defend her character and nature.
“I will speak to my lawyers. I promise to tell everything. I am sad, nervous, but with peace of mind because I know who I am. I hope to be able to defend Brazilian women’s swimming with great pride.”
The COB issued a statement explaining their decision, citing acts of indiscipline and disrespectful behaviour from Vieira.
They emphasized the seriousness of their mission at the Olympics, with Gustavo Otsuka, head of Brazil’s swimming team, stating, “We’re not here playing or taking a vacation. We’re here working for Brazil, for the 200 million taxpayers who are working for us.”
