Twelve-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte has revealed the strict reason why Team USA’s swimmers are not allowed to leave the Village during the Games under any circumstances.
On Tuesday, Lochte’s wife, Kayla, was answering some fan questions on TikTok when one person asked why some athletes have free rein to leave the premises, while others do not.
“What do you mean you are not allowed to leave the Olympic Village? I see all kinds of Olympic athletes leaving the Village,” one fan remarked.
“Not USA swimmers,” Lochte, 40, was heard saying.
His wife then asked why, to which Lochte responded, “Because that’s the rule for USA swimmers.”
“USA has stricter rules than other countries, right?” Kayla then asked.
“Yes,” the swimmer said, to which Kayla asked, “But you can leave for certain things?”
“Nope,” the former Olympian shared, adding that athletes are required to get the “OK through the head coach” if they want to see their families in the city.
Lochte is no stranger to the Olympics.
The swimmer represented Team USA during four games, with his first being two decades ago in Athens.
He represented the US at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the 2012 Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Lochte emerged victorious each time, earning six gold medals, three silver and three bronze during his Olympic career.
Lochte’s revelation comes after his former teammate Michael Phelps — the most decorated swimmer of all time — expressed his disappointment with Team USA’s swimmers on the men’s side at this year’s Games.
“For me as a whole, I was pretty disappointed to see the US swimming results,” Phelps told USA Today.
Phelps, 39, expressed some of his worries ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“One of the things that I’ve always said over the last couple of years is the rest of the world is catching up,” he said.
“I think a lot of the things that we’ve done as a country for so long, the other people are catching up. They’re doing the same thing. Hopefully, we’re able to make that transition leading into 2028.”
Aside from Bobby Finke, who won gold in the 1500-meter freestyle, and his time of 14:30.67 also set a new world record, the men’s swim team came short in a few races.
It was a rough Games for Caeleb Dressel, who after winning five gold medals in Tokyo — including three individual golds — finished sixth in the 50-meter freestyle final and didn’t even make the final in the 100-meter butterfly after winning those events three years ago.
Ryan Murphy also shockingly missed the finals of the 200-meter backstroke.
Still, there was a lot for Team USA to celebrate nonetheless.
Team USA took home 28 total swimming medals — eight gold, 13 silver and seven bronze — while setting three world records.
American sensation Katie Ledecky added four gold medals to the total, while fellow superstar Torri Huske added three of her own.
The Americans notched 10 more swimming medals than any other country.
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