COLORADO SPRINGS: Ryan Lochte has gone the same way as Hope Solo after being suspended from his sport for misbehaviour at last month’s Rio 2016 Olympics writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Lochte’s ban of 10 months has been imposed by the United States Olympic Committee and USA Swimming for for his fabrication of a story about being the victim of an early-morning gunpoint theft after celebrations during the Games.

He will automatically miss the 2017 swimming world championship next July because the period of the ban includes the qualifying event.

The 32-year-old’s initial claim, supported by three team-mates, made worldwide headlines, as did the ultimate revelation that they had been seeking to cover up misbehaviour at a fuel filling station.

Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen have all been suspended for four months.

Lochte will also lose the $100,000 bonus which would have rewarded his Olympic gold medal.

Brazilian authorities have charged Lochte with falsely reporting a crime, which could bring a fine or up to six months in jail should be ever return to the country.

Lochte has since blamed his own “immature behavior.”

Last month Olympic soccer goalkeeper Solo was suspended for six months by US Soccer for disparaging comments about Sweden after the Americans’ early departure from the Rio Olympics.

Solo called the Swedes “a bunch of cowards” for focusing on defence rather than attacking the three-times defending champion. Sweden won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 quarterfinal draw.

Team coach Jill Ellis has since said that the comments were the last straw after a string a controversial incidents involving Solo.

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