A Brazilian swimmer who faced expulsion from the Olympic Games after leaving the Athletes’ Village with her boyfriend to ‘enjoy a night out in Paris’ has finally spoken out regarding her dismissal.
Ana Carolina Vieira and Gabriel Santos were reportedly caught attempting to exit the Olympic Village following her elimination from the 4x100m freestyle relay on Saturday—where Brazil secured seventh place in the women’s second heat.
The incident occurred on July 26, when the 22-year-old departed the village without permission. Upon being reprimanded by the Brazilian Olympic Committee, Carolina Vieira purportedly reacted harshly, resulting in her being sent back home.
The governing body characterized her response as ‘disrespectful and aggressively challenging.’
‘The Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA) and the COB have decided to sanction the two athletes for departing the Olympic Village without authorization last Friday,’ the statement from the governing body indicated.
Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira (pictured) has broken her silence after she was banished from the Paris Olympics
The 22-year-old had been sent home after sneaking out of the Village without permission
The 22-year-old was joined by her partner, fellow Brazilian swimmer Gabriel Santos (right)
‘Furthermore, athlete Ana Carolina reacted in a disrespectful and aggressive manner to the official decision made by the Brazilian Swimming Team committee.
‘Consequently, athlete Gabriel Santos received a warning while athlete Ana Carolina Vieira was expelled from the delegation. She will return to Brazil immediately.’
In response, Carolina Vieira has now expressed her thoughts on social media, stating in her Instagram story that she believes she has committed no wrongdoing, and per Tyla, she has ‘filed a harassment complaint with the COB’, which she claims has been ‘allegedly ignored.’
‘I left behind my belongings; I felt unsure of what to do.’
‘All my things are still [in the Olympic Village]. I went to the airport wearing shorts. I had to unpack my suitcase at the airport. I’m in Portugal now, heading to Recife and then to São Paulo.
‘I feel powerless; I have not had any access to my things or been able to communicate with anyone. They advised me to reach out through COB channels. But how can I contact them?
Vieira was immediately sent back to Brazil following her reaction to being reprimanded, while Santos received a warning and apologized
The sport’s governing body in Brazil described her reaction as ‘disrespectful and aggressively challenge(ing)’
Carolina Vieira (left) hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil and had previously represented her nation at the 2020 Tokyo Games
‘I have filed a harassment complaint, but no resolution has come of it; harassment is happening within the team.’
She added: ‘I will consult my lawyers. I promise to reveal everything. I am feeling sad and nervous, but I find peace in knowing who I am and the nature of my character.’
Commenting on the violation of the rules, Gustavo Otsuka, Brazil’s swim team leader, stated to Reuters: ‘We are not here for leisure or a vacation.
‘Our purpose is to work for Brazil, representing the 200 million taxpayers supporting us. We cannot afford to be careless at this event.
‘She took an entirely inappropriate approach to express her frustrations regarding the relay formation.’
Vieira shared an image of the couple outside the Eiffel Tower ahead of the start of the Games
Carolina Vieira hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, having previously represented her country at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where her team finished 12th in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Gabriel Santos, on the other hand, was competing in his third Olympic Games, having made his debut at Rio 2016.
Her expulsion from Paris is not an isolated incident, as she has previously encountered issues during a swim meet, including a confrontation with compatriot Jhennifer Conceicao during the finals of the 2023 Brazilian Championships on the podium, according to UOL.
