Photo by Patrick B. Kraemer—EPA
Now, we all know that Ryan Lochte isn't the brightest bulb in, well, a whole United States' worth of hardware departments. But somehow he's found a way to get dimmer.The gold medal swimmer—who famously vandalized a gas station during his Olympic stint in Rio, claimed that he was robbed at gunpoint, and then lied about it—was suspended until July 2019 for a doping infraction, according to the Associated Press.While Lochte wasn't found to have used any illegal substances, per se, he was found to have used an IV by unsanctioned means. And how was he caught? Because he posted a picture of him doing it on Instagram. Nice.The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency launched an investigation into his use of the IV after becoming aware of the Instagram photo. Lochte's caption was, "Athletic recovery with some #ivdrip @revivalivlounge #vitamins." The user name tagged claims to be an "IV Hydration Wellness Lounge" based out of Gainesville, Florida, and their top-listed specialty is "hangovers."
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The lounge apparently didn't fit the bill for USADA requirements. Per AP:
Lochte will be suspended until July 2019.The timing couldn't have been worse for Lochte, who was entered in four events at the national championships that start Wednesday in Irvine, California. The suspension marks his second—the first being a 10-month ban for his Rio antics—since 2016. He will have been allowed to swim competitively for only 13 out of 35 months by July 2019. For doing stupid, stupid shit.U.S. officials say Lochte was not using a banned substance. But under anti-doping rules, athletes typically cannot receive IVs unless related to a hospitalization or through an exemption.