Ryan Lochte Receives 10-Month Suspension For Lying About Rio Robbery

Swimmer Ryan Lochte will reportedly receive a 10-month suspension for lying about being robbed at gunpoint during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, sources told CNN om Sept. 7, 2016. In addition, Lochte will not be allowed to compete at the World Championships in July 2017, meaning he will not be able to compete at a world championship meet until 2019, when he is 35, according to CNN.

As Nicki Swift exhaustively reported, Lochte claimed in August 2016 that he and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed at gunpoint on their way home from a party by individuals pretending to be police officers. Lochte's account of the events were almost immediately called into question by Brazilian authorities, who began to poke holes in his story.

As the scandal made headlines around the world, Lochte finally came forward and admitted he had "over-exaggerated" the story. "I let my team down," Lochte told NBC's Matt Lauer. "I'm embarrassed for myself, my family and especially those guys...I was immature, and I made a stupid mistake. I'm human...I definitely learned from this. And I'm just really sorry." Lochte added, "I'm taking full responsibility for my actions because if I didn't over-exaggerate the story...none of this would have happened."

Lochte subsequently lost four of his major endorsement deals, including Speedo USA. He did, however, pick up a new deal with Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops, which...good for him? He also landed a spot on the next season of Dancing with the Stars, which premieres later this month.

Brazilian police have since charged Lochte with filing a false robbery report for his involvement in the alleged incident. The charge reportedly carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison if Lochte is found guilty. It remains unclear if Lochte will return to Brazil to face trial.

CNN also reported that the three other swimmers involved in the incident—Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen—may also be suspended from the sport. However, their potential suspensions would reportedly amount to less time than Lochte's.