Imperial Valley Press

Swimmer suspended, to pay $100,000, among other penalties.

- BY EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

Ryan Lochte will forfeit $100,000 and a chance to swim at next year’s world championsh­ips as part of the penalty for his drunken encounter at a gas station in Brazil during last month’s Olympics.

The U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Swimming announced the penalties Thursday. Lochte is banned through the end of June. That means he won’t be able to qualify for July’s world championsh­ips, which normally don’t draw top fields in the year after the Olympics.

“As we have said previously, the behavior of these athletes was not acceptable. It unfairly maligned our hosts and diverted attention away from the historic achievemen­ts of Team USA,” USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said. “Each of the athletes has accepted responsibi­lity for his actions and accepted the appropriat­e sanctions.”

Lochte will also get no monthly funding from either the USOC or USA Swimming. He can’t access USOC training centers, must perform 20 hours of community service and will miss Team USA’s post-Olympics trip to the White House.

Lochte’s attorney, Jeff Ostrow, did not immediatel­y respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Agreeing to four-month suspension­s were Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, who were with Lochte at the gas station. Those sanctions, which end Dec. 31, also strip funding and training access and preclude them from the White House visit.

Bentz, 20, will also serve 10 hours of community service for violating a curfew rule for athletes under 21. He released a statement on Twitter saying he’d learned his lesson and was anxious to move on.

The USOC gives a $25,000 bonus to Olympic gold-medal winners, and USA Swimming has awarded a $75,000 gold-medal bonus at past Olympics.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States