Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira, 22, has been expelled from the Paris 2024 Olympics after leaving the Olympic Village without authorization to visit the Eiffel Tower with her boyfriend and teammate Gabriel Santos. The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) made the decision after Vieira reacted ‘disrespectfully and aggressively’ when confronted about the rule violation. Santos, who also participated in the unauthorized outing, received only a warning after apologizing for his actions.The incident came to light when the athletes posted photos of their adventure on social media. Gustavo Otsuka, head of the Brazilian swimming team, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, ‘We’re not here for fun or vacation, we’re here to work for Brazil, for more than 200 million taxpayers who work for us’.Vieira, who had already finished competing in the 4x100m freestyle relay where the team finished 12th, has announced plans to take legal action. She claims innocence and alleges harassment within the team. This is not Vieira’s first controversy; she was previously involved in an altercation with another athlete during the 2023 Brazilian Championships.In other Olympic swimming news, Australian distance swimmer Lani Pallister has been forced to withdraw from the women’s 1500m freestyle event after testing positive for COVID-19. Pallister, who was considered a medal contender, may still compete in the 4x200m freestyle relay if she recovers in time.These incidents highlight the challenges faced by athletes and organizers in maintaining discipline and health protocols during the Olympic Games.
Key points
- Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira was expelled from the Paris Olympics for leaving the Olympic Village without permission to visit the Eiffel Tower.
- Vieira’s boyfriend and teammate Gabriel Santos received a warning for the same incident after apologizing.
- Australian swimmer Lani Pallister withdrew from the 1500m freestyle event due to a positive COVID-19 test.
- The incidents highlight the challenges of maintaining discipline and health protocols during the Olympic Games.
Contradictionsđź‘ľThere are slight variations in the reporting of Vieira’s reaction to the reprimand, with some sources describing it as ‘disrespectful and aggressive’, while others simply state she ‘contested the violation’.
