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Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira made news this week when she was sent home by the Brazilian delegation for violating multiple team rules.
The 22-year-old first ran into trouble when she and her boyfriend, fellow swimmer Gabriel Santos, left the Brazilian team’s Olympics headquarters without proper authorization.
“We’re not here playing or taking a vacation,” said Gustavo Otsuka, Brazil’s swimming team leader. “We’re here working for Brazil, for the 200 million taxpayers who are working for us. We can’t play around here.”
Viera, who was supposed to compete in the Paris Olympics in the 4×100 Freestyle and Medley relays, but was given the heave-ho by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) after contesting a “technical decision taken by the Brazilian Swimming Team committee” (her position on the relay team) in a “disrespectful and aggressive manner.”
Three days ago, before her dismissal, Ana Carolina Vieira wrote on Instatgram, “Stadium was beautiful, bench vibe was contagious. It’s a lot of emotion involved, years of work. I had a lot of dedication and focus on my career. Representing Brazil is a huge and very rewarding responsibility.”
Today, she shared a whole different kind of message on social media.
In three clips posted to her Instagram Stories from the airport, Ana Carolina Vieira claimed that she had done nothing wrong and intends to file a complaint with the COB, according to Tyla.
“I left there and left my materials, I didn’t know what to do,” she claimed.
“My things are there [in the Olympic Village], I went to the airport in shorts. I had to open my suitcase at the airport. I’m in Portugal, I’m going to Recife and then to Sao Paulo.
“I am helpless, I have had no access to anything, I have not been able to speak to anyone. They told me to contact the COB channels. But how am I going to get in touch?
“I have already filed a complaint of harassment and nothing has been resolved, harassment within the team.”
The swimmer also stated that she will be speaking with her lawyers.
“I promise to tell everything,” she continued. “I am sad, nervous, but with a peace of mind because I know who I am, I know what my character and my nature are.
“I hope to be able to defend Brazilian women’s swimming with great pride. I ask for patience, thank you.”
In June, Ana Carolina Vieira excitedly showed off a new tattoo of the Olympic rings on her forearm. Today, that tattoo is surely going to have a completely different meaning for her.