By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
American swimmer Ryan Lochte released a statement on his Instagram account that, among other things, responded to the public backlash over his decision to sell three of his Olympic gold medals at auction.
As part of a six paragraph written post that starts with saying that it is written because he is “too emotional to speak through this,” Lochte addresses a recent post by his ex-wife Kayla Reid and says that “therapy has been a transformative journey for me, helping me uncover insights about myself that I previously overlooked. I’m making a tremendous effort to separate myself from the past, as I’ve truly moved on. I deeply regret any disappointment I’ve caused to those in my life, including the mother of my children. I would be lying if I said I was a good husband, I wasn’t. I’m committed to working on myself every day.”
He also addressed the public response to him selling three of his six Olympic medals at auction.
“I would also like to clarify the selling of my medals. I never swam for the gold medals. My passion has always been about being one of the best swimmers in the world. Those medals? They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey. With 90 international medals-including Olympics, world championships, Pan Pacs, and Pan Am Games-I’ve been fortunate to achieve more than any swimmer out there. But what means the most to me is what I’ve done with them. I’ve given away medals to fans and young kids in the stands, because it’s never been just about me. It’s about inspiring the next generation and helping them chase their dreams. The memories, the hard work, and the connection with all of you are what I treasure the most.
“I ask for your understanding and grace as I navigate this complex situation.”
Lochte listed his 800 free relay gold medals from the 2004, 2008, and 2016 Olympic Games for auction last week, with the bidding for all three medals starting at $20,000 ($24,400 with buyer’s premium).
2004 Athens Olympics 800 free relay gold medal (current bid: $20,000) – Link 2008 Beijing Olympics 800 free relay gold medal (current bid: $32,000) – Link 2016 – Rio Olympics 800 free relay gold medal (current bid: $20,000) – LinkHis 2004 and 2016 medals both have received one bid each, while his Beijing medal, earned as part of Michael Phelps‘ run for a record 8 gold medals in a single Games, has received the most interest so far, receiving six bids.
Lochte previously put 3 silver and 3 bronze medals up for auction in 2022. He also gained attention for giving away non-Olympic medals for fans during his career, and was often gracious with young fans.
He previously said in an interview in 2024 that he doesn’t display his Olympic medals, and when announcing the newest auction he told People Magazine that “My Olympic medals represent memories I’ll carry for life, but now I want them to do more than sit on a shelf.
“I’m passing them on so they can help inspire and empower others. If these medals can give someone hope, fuel their dreams or help them reach their full potential,” he says, “then this is the greatest way I can give back.”
Some fans were unconvinced of his motivations, leading Lochte to emphasize that the Olympic medals were not as important to him as the memories of his career and what he achieved.
Lochte remains popular long after his swimming career ended. His 1 million Instagram followers trail only Cody Simpson (5 million followers, many from his music career), Michael Phelps (3.7 million followers), and Leon Marchand (1.5 million followers) as the most among elite swimmers.
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