Ryan Lochte’s swimming career might have come to an end after he failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
But it seems that the six-time gold medalist hasn’t lost his knack for attracting bad press.
Lochte is currently in the throes of a very messy divorce from his estranged wife, Kayla, who is also the mother to his three children.
Now, Kayla is demanding sole physical custody of the kids, claiming that Ryan is an addict who has used drugs in front of his kids.
Ryan Lochte’s ex-wife alleges that he endangered their kids
“Shared parental responsibility would be detrimental to the children because [Ryan] has a history of substance abuse and, upon information and belief, he is still abusing illegal controlled substances,” reads a court filing obtained by Page Six.
Kayla goes on to allege that Ryan would “doze off during the day,” including right after he dropped off the kids at school.
“Upon his return home, [Kayla] would find him passed out in the driver’s seat, with the car still on and the music blaring,” her attorneys write.
“[Ryan] has also fallen asleep while being the only adult watching the children because [Kayla] was working out of town.”
Kayla goes on to accuse Ryan of “inhaling nitrous oxide in front of” one of their children while they “were in the garage with him.”
She also claims to know of instances in which he had “driven the children to school while intoxicated.”
“[Ryan’s] recurring and repeated irresponsible behavior shows he is unfit to exercise shared parental responsibility, and it would [be] a detriment to the minor children to award the same,” Kayla’s lawyers write.
Ryan Lochte denies ex’s allegations of negligent parenting
Lochte fired back in a statement to Us Weekly.
“After my car accident in 2023, I fell into a cycle of depression that led to substance abuse. I am not denying that I used drugs in my home, but I adamantly deny ever using drugs in front of or around my children, and I have never driven them while intoxicated,” he told the outlet, adding:
“At times, I would rest in my truck instead of going inside — not because I was impaired, but because the home environment had become overwhelming and very toxic, and I needed a moment to collect myself before walking in.
“I have tried desperately to keep these divorce proceedings private and sealed, not to protect myself, but to protect my children from fabricated allegations that could hurt them. Unfortunately, despite that effort, my ex-wife chose to make this matter public, knowing I was already in intensive rehab.”
Lochte added that he’s “extremely sorry for hurting or disappointing anyone along the way,” but is now focused “on my recovery, on being the best father I can be, and on moving forward in a way that keeps my kids safe, supported, and loved.”
“I wanted to share some positive updates in my life and what’s going on. I’m so happy right now, and the big reason is that I’m 54 days sober. Yes!” the 41-year-old wrote on Instagram earlier this year.
“I checked myself into a Florida recovery center. The staff has been incredible. They helped me realize substance abuse isn’t a solution. It’s just a distraction that makes things worse,”
Kayla filed for divorce on March 26.
In an Instagram Story from that week, she wrote, “Divorce isn’t the end of my story. It’s the beginning of my rebirth.”
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.