Well, it’s a good thing Ryan Lochte has competing in the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars to keep him busy, because he won’t be swimming competitively in the near future. The Olympian has been suspended for the next 10 months as punishment for lying to authorities about being held up at gunpoint while out partying in Rio. The incident happened while the swimmer was in the city competing in the Olympics for Team USA.
Via TMZ
Ryan Lochte just got his punishment for his Rio gas station hijinks, and we’re told the U.S. Olympic Committee was tough, but not career-ending.
USOC-connected sources tell TMZ Sports … Lochte has been suspended for 10 months. There are additional sanctions.
We’re told the punishment was handed down not just by the USOC but by the IOC and USA Swimming as well.
The punishment is harsher than Michael Phelps’ 6 month suspension for his 2 DUIs. The punishment was debated within the USOC, because Phelps put people’s lives at risk and Lochte arguably didn’t lie about a material fact. We’re told some of the USOC decision makers felt Lochte’s punishment was too severe.
The other 3 swimmers involved in the Rio incident were also suspended, but for less time. At least one of them got a 4 month suspension.
Also, from Entertainment Tonight:
Lochte will have to serve 20 hours of community service and will be suspended from domestic and international USA Swimming national team competitions for 10 months, including the 2017 National Championships, which renders him ineligible for the 2017 FINA World Championships. While suspended, Lochte is not to have access to the training centers or other facilities of the USOC and will not receive a monthly stipend.
He also forfeits all USOC and USA Swimming medal funding for his gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games, which includes a $100,000 bonus check, and will not be permitted to join Team USA at the White House visit or the USA Swimming’s annual Golden Goggles event.
In addition to this punishment, Brazilian police also reportedly charged Lochte for filing a false robbery report.
Would it have been better for Lochte to lay low for awhile before attempting an image rehab via Dancing with the Stars? Yes, he was already negotiating with ABC to appear on the show before the incident and the swimmer lost a slew of endorsements. But I have to wonder if staying high profile will only keep the negative chatter flowing in the news cycle longer than if he’d just laid low? Typically, outrage softens with the passage of time, at which point the public is more receptive to a celebrity seeking forgiveness. It may be too soon for Lochte.
