Brazilian Swimmer Banned from Paris Olympics After Rule Break With Olympian Boyfriend

Ana Carolina Vieira, a Brazilian swimmer, has been expelled from the 2024 Paris Olympics following a serious breach of conduct. The 22-year-old athlete was dismissed after sneaking out of the athletes’ village to spend a night with her boyfriend and fellow teammate, Gabriel Santos. Vieira, who competed in the 4×100 meters freestyle relay, left the village without authorization on the night of July 26, just before her race on July 27.

The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) acted swiftly upon discovering Vieira’s unauthorized departure through her social media posts. Although Gabriel Santos also broke the rules, he received only a warning after apologizing. In contrast, Vieira’s actions were deemed unacceptable and led to her immediate expulsion.

Gustavo Otsuka, head of Brazil’s swimming team, emphasized the severity of the situation. “We’re here to represent Brazil and the taxpayers who support us. This behavior is completely inappropriate. She disregarded the rules and contested a technical decision aggressively, which led to her dismissal,” Otsuka stated.

The COB confirmed Vieira’s removal, citing her disrespectful behavior and unauthorized departure as the primary reasons for the decision. The situation was brought to light following an internal review and discussions within the disciplinary committee, which ultimately led to the conclusion that Vieira’s actions warranted her expulsion from the Olympics Games.