Thursday 8 September 2016 17:00, UK
US swimmer Ryan Lochte has been suspended for 10 months following his bogus robbery story at the Rio Olympics.
The USA Today newspaper reported on Wednesday that the 32-year-old had been hit by a ban until mid-2017, meaning he would be ruled out of next year's World Championships in Budapest.
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has now confirmed the ban, which will run until June 30 2017, while Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen, who were also involved in the incident in Brazil, have been banned until December 31 2016.
Lochte must also serve 20 hours of community service and 20-year-old Bentz 10 hours, after he broke a USA Swimming Olympic Village curfew rule placed on athletes under the age of 21.
All four men also face a number of other sanctions, including being forced to miss Team USA's post-Olympics White House visit.
"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," said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun.
"Each of the athletes has accepted responsibility for his actions and accepted the appropriate sanctions."
USA Swimming executive director Chuck Wielgus was also critical of the swimmers' actions.
"During an otherwise extraordinary Olympic Games, a small group of athletes had lapses in judgement and conduct that are unacceptable and not consistent with our expectations," he said.
"Unfortunately, this storyline took attention away from the athletes who deserved it the most. These athletes took accountability for their mistakes and are committed to represent themselves and our country with the great character and distinction we expect."
The bans will take effect immediately.
Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medallist, has lost several sponsorship deals following the Rio escapade.
He was charged by Brazilian police last month of making a false report about being robbed at gunpoint during a night out. Lochte had already left the country by the time the charges were filed.
Having vandalised a toilet at a petrol station, the quartet were confronted by armed guards and asked to pay for the damage.
Lochte, a six-time gold medal winner, subsequently claimed the group had been robbed at gunpoint, before apologising for his "over-exaggerated" story.
The tale humiliated first the Brazilian hosts of the Games and later Lochte's own Team USA, after police determined that he had largely fabricated his story.
Lochte, who is now seeking to rehabilitate his public image with an appearance on upcoming reality show Dancing with the Stars, has apologised for his conduct.
"I'm taking full responsibility for it," Lochte said in an interview on TV.
