Ana Carolina Vieira, the swimmer who was sent home early from the 2024 Olympics after breaking rules with her boyfriend, has spoken out about the 'irreparable damage' she has suffered.
Vieira and her boyfriend, Gabriel Santos, were caught leaving the Olympic Village on July 26 after she crashed out of the 4x100 freestyle relay on Saturday.
The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) reprimanded the pair after noticing the unauthorised excursion on social media.
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Vieira was sent packing while Santos, also a swimmer, received a warning but was allowed to stay and compete at the Paris Games.
She has now opened up about the incident to clarify the timeline.
Brazilian attorneys Octavio Rolim and Patrícia Britto shared a statement on behalf of the Brazilian Olympians.
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The statement read: "In response to recent reports, it is important to clarify that on the afternoon of July 25, 2024, during her free time, Ana Carolina and her partner, follow swimmer Gabriel Da Silva Santos (her partner for over four years), visited the Eiffel Tower.
"This visit was a personal celebration of their careers, a common practice among athletes. The visit lasted approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, and transportation was provided by official vehicles assigned to the competitors.
"On July 26, 2024, athletes scheduled to compete in the 4x100 freestyle relay on July 27, 2024, were informed of an unjustified decision by the Technical Commission to replace one of the relay swimmers.
"Ana Carolina, motivated by her patriotism and concern for the team's performance, objected to this decision. Her objection should not be misconstrued as aggression or disrespect."
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The statement added: "This sudden dismissal left her devastated and unsupported by the mission leaders, contributing to significant psychological and professional harm.
"The global misrepresentation of these events has cause irreparable damage. Necessary measures will be taken to ensure a thorough investigation of the facts by the relevant authorities."
Topics: Olympics
Nasir Jabbar