Laurie Hernandez, Danell Leyva, Sarah Robles. Those and many more are the names of Latino athletes that should be on the front pages of newspapers and websites around the world. Instead, we've been seeing a lot of Ryan Lochte, a 32-year-old Cuban American swimmer who seems stuck in fratboy land and has embarrassed us all Americans, Latinos or not.
Read more ¿Qué más?: Gold medalist Laurie Hernandez & her wink break the internet + 10 Latinos who have done the same
I'm sure by now you've heard the news about Lochte and three other athletes from the U.S. National Swimming Team and their story of being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, home to the 2016 Olympic Games.
The story seemed plausible, not only because the crime numbers in Brazil have been well publicized, but because the opposite would just be too weird. Why would anyone make up something like that?
Well, he did while creating an international incident and stealing the thunder from dozens of athletes that have spent their lives waiting to shine at the Olympics. And what's worse, making all Americans look terrible around the world. A true sign of his immaturity, he only fessed up when a video proved him a liar.
To be honest, if that was it, I could live with it. What really bothers me, though, is that this Cuban American athlete, who should have been another source of pride for all immigrants, made bad choice after bad choice, at a time when Latinos are being vilified and threatened to be burnt by the racist fire ignited by Donald Trump's political campaign.
Yes, we all know about Danell Leyva and Laurie Hernandez, two amazing talents on the gymnastics team. Of Sarah Robles' incredible weight lifting performance. Lochte, though, was the best-known Latino Olympian. He went partying and vandalized a bathroom, then lied about it, hoping that Brazil would take the fall. Brazil, a country plagued with incredible challenges that has risen to the occasion defying even the most pessimistic predictions.
I don't advocate for physical punishment of children, but Ryancito has me thinking that he could have benefited from some chancleta therapy. I hope that as any Cuban mom que se respete, Ileana Lochte puts the fear of God into her sinvergüeza son.
Here is his apology. To me this is not even close to being enough.
A photo posted by Ryanlochte (@ryanlochte) onAug 19, 2016 at 7:11am PDT
Images via YouTube, Laurie Hernandez, Danell Leyva, Sarah Robles, Ryan Lochte/Instagram
