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After being seen departing the Olympic Village with fellow athlete Gabriel Santos after the July 26 Opening Ceremony, 22-year-old Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira was sent home from the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
A press statement issued by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) on July 28 stated, "Swimmers Ana Carolina Vieira and Gabriel Santos committed acts of indiscipline." "The two athletes were disciplined by the COB for leaving the Olympic Village on Friday night without permission."
Ana responded to the committee's "technical decision" in a "disrespectful and aggressive" way after receiving a reprimand, the COB said. She was thus told to go home.
The press statement ends, "Athlete Ana Carolina Vieira was punished with the penalty of dismissal from the delegation, and Gabriel Santos was punished with a warning." "She's going back to Brazil right now."
Ana had participated in the 4x100m freestyle relay on July 27 alongside teammates Giovana Medeiros, Maria Paula Heitmann, and Stephanie Balduccini before being dismissed. The United States, Australia, and China won the gold, silver, and bronze medals in the competition, while the team finished 12th overall and 7th in their heat.
Later, Gustavo Otsuka, the leader of Brazil's swimming squad, highlighted that Ana's dismissal from the relay was partially due to her response to the lineup.
Gustavo told Reuters, "We're not here playing or taking a vacation." We are here to work for the 200 million taxpayers that support Brazil. She adopted a wholly unsuitable stance to express her disappointment with the relay's formation.
Ana, who was Brazil's representative in Tokyo 2020, posted a sincere remark on social media.
In a Portuguese Instagram post on July 27, she said, "The stadium was beautiful, and the vibe in the stands was contagious." Years of work and a lot of emotion are involved. I was very committed and focused on my career. Representing Brazil is an immense and very rewarding responsibility.”
