Swimmer Ryan Lochte has been suspended 14 months by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for receiving an intravenous infusion, a method that breaks anti-doping rules and one which he himself revealed on social media.
Lochte, according to the agency, was not using a banned substance, but rules stipulate that athletes cannot receive an IV unless it is related to hospitalization or an exemption has been granted. The violation was revealed by the 12-time Olympic medalist on social media when he posted a photo of himself getting the IV on May 24. The suspension comes just two days before the national championships in which he was entered in four events.
Lochte — who was part of the Team USA swim team’s infamous gas station incident at the 2016 Games in Rio — wasn’t popped for using a banned drug … but for receiving an IV treatment illegally.
But, here’s the crazy part — Lochte reportedly led the USADA right to the investigation by posting a pic receiving the IV treatment alongside his wife on Instagram back in May. He even included the caption “Athletic recovery with some #ivdrip.” post below (The post was later deleted.)
In announcing the suspension, USADA said that Lochte, 33, “fully cooperated” with the investigation, which revealed that he got “an intravenous infusion of permitted substances at an infusion clinic in a volume greater than 100 mL in a 12-hour period without a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Intravenous infusions or injections in a volume greater than 100 mL within a 12-hour period are prohibited at all times – except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital treatment, surgical procedures, or clinical diagnostic investigations under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the Fédération Internationale de Natation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.”
Lochte’s punishment officially began on May 24 and will be suspended until July 2019.