An Olympic swimmer was banned from further participation in this year’s Paris Olympics on Sunday.
The swimmer, 22-year-old Ana Carolina Vieira, was caught leaving the athletes’ village without first asking the team for permission, Reuters reported.
Vieira represented Brazil in the 4×100 meters freestyle relay race. The team finished in 12th place in the heats.
To make matters even worse, team officials and members were completely unaware Vieira had left the village when she did.
At least, that was the case until they spotted social media posts of Vieira enjoying her time away.
A second swimmer, Vieira’s Olympic teammate Gabriel Santos of the men’s team, joined her on the unsanctioned escapade. Santos, however, only received a warning.
According to Reuters, Vieira’s harsher punishment came because she also chose to challenge the team’s formation.
“The athlete Ana Carolina, in a disrespectful and aggressive manner, contested a technical decision made by the Brazilian National Swimming Team committee,” the Brazilian Olympic Committee said in a Sunday statement.
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“As a result, Gabriel Santos was given a warning, and Ana Carolina Vieira was dismissed from the delegation. She will return to Brazil immediately.”
The Brazilian swim team leader made it clear that the team would not be putting up with any such insubordination.
“We’re not here playing or taking a vacation,” said Gustavo Otsuka, the team leader. “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.
“It was during this period that we decided to take this situation to the disciplinary committee, discussed it and took the appropriate action. We ended up finding out through the posts.”
According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, following her dismissal from the team, Vieira was sent on a flight back home to Brazil.
Santos and Vieira are reportedly a couple who both participate in the Esporte Clube Pinheiros, a Brazilian athletics club.
Vieira made her Olympic debut in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, meaning this would have been her second appearance.
Santos, on the other hand, first appeared in the 2016 Olympics, which were held in his home nation of Brazil. This year is his third Olympic appearance.
