Reason why Olympian who broke strict village rule with girlfriend is allowed to remain at Games but she isn't
It has now been confirmed why Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira was sent home from the 2024 Olympic Games after breaking a strict rule with her boyfriend Gabriel Santos, while he was allowed to remain in Paris.
Vieira, 22, was sent packing by her Olympic association after sneaking out of the athlete's village to party with Santos in the French capital.
Vieira was part of Brazil's swimming team for the women's 4x100m freestyle relay, which also included Stephanie Balduccini, Giovana Reis and Maria Paula Heitmann.
They failed to qualify for the final, which was eventually won by Australia.
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According to The Mirror, both Vieira and Santos were challenged by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) after being caught partying in Paris during the Games.
While fellow swimmer Santos, 28, was only given a stern warning by his national Olympic association, his girlfriend Vieira was handed a far harsher punishment – being sent home in disgrace.
And the reason for her more severe treatment has now become clearer.
It has been claimed that Vieira's "disrespectful" and "aggressive" reaction to disciplinary action was significant enough for the BOC to decide to send her back home.
"The Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA), the COB decided to punish the two athletes for having left the Olympic Village without authorisation last Friday," a statement from BOC read.
"In addition to this fact, 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."
Gustavo Otsuka, the team leader for Brazil's Olympic swimming team, strongly criticised Vieira for her behaviour at the Games.
"We're not here playing or taking a vacation," he said, as reported by Reuters.
"We're here working for Brazil, for the 200 million taxpayers who are working for us.
"We can't play around here. She took a completely inappropriate position to make her point, her dismay, about the formation of the relay."
Like Vieira, Santos also represented Brazil in the 4x100m relay.
The men's team also missed out on the final, finishing 10th in their heats in Paris.
Rory O'Callaghan