Paris: At a time when love is in the air at the Paris Olympics 2024, Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira was expelled from the Games after she went out without permission to visit the iconic Eiffel Tower with her boyfriend. Incidentally, Vieira’s boyfriend Gabriel Santos is also a part of the Brazilian swimming contingent and has been let go with a warning.
The incident took place at the start of the Olympic Games and just a night before their competition and came to light when Vieira posted pictures on Instagram of them hugging each other. The couple were a part of the Brazilian men’s and women’s 4x100m freestyle relay teams. However, following the incident, both teams failed to qualify for the finals.
According to reports, Vieira behaved in a ‘disrespectful and aggressively challenging’ manner when the Brazilian officials confronted her. The Brazilian Olympic Committee didn’t like the way she responded and decided to sent her back home. On the other hand, Santos issued an apology.
“The COB decided to punish the two athletes for having left the Olympic Village without authorization last Friday. 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,” the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports said in a statement.
However, Vieira vowed to fight back and took to Instagram to explain her side of the story. “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 Sao Paulo.
NADADORA EXPULSA
A nadadora brasileira Ana Carolina Vieira, que foi expulsa da delegação brasileira no Jogos de Paris, falou pela primeira vez nas redes sociais. Ela Disse que não teve má conduta, se defendeu, e alegou ter denunciado caso de assédio dentro da seleção. pic.twitter.com/HGMyHDtEy4
— BT Mais (@belemtransito) July 29, 2024
“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,” Vieira said.
