Ryan Lochte Fires Back At Critics, Defends Decision To Auction His Olympic Gold Medals

Ryan Lochte is clearing the air after sparking a bit of chaos online over the last few weeks. In a lengthy Instagram post, the Olympian clarified why he recently decided to auction off three of his gold medals. In his post, Ryan also addressed the backlash he received after opening up about the painful struggles he faced during his marriage to his estranged wife, Kayla Lochte. All of this comes amid the explosive divorce the pair have been embroiled in since the summer of 2025.

According to a previous report from The Blast, Ryan left fans stunned in early December 2025 after revealing he was auctioning off three of his Olympic gold medals. An employee of Goldin Auction House in New Jersey shared a post on Instagram showing that the company had secured three of Ryan's medals, which "tells a story of dominance, teamwork, and history."

Ryan faced significant criticism over his decision, which came amid news that the former swimmer and his wife were facing a lawsuit from the HOA of their Florida neighborhood. The couple was accused of failing to pay fees on the nearly $600,000 home. Before that, reports surfaced revealing the pair was several hundred thousand dollars in debt, allegedly owed to businesses and corporations, including the IRS and medical facilities.

In his recent post, Ryan explained that he decided to auction some of his medals for a greater cause. "I never swam for the gold medals," he noted. "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."

Ryan shared that he's acquired 90 international medals throughout his career, and doing something meaningful with them meant more to him than anything else. "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."

But that's not all Ryan faced backlash over. According to The Blast, Ryan revealed he was writing a memoir about his life. In addition to writing about his Olympic career and his dramatic fall from grace after the 2016 Summer Games, Ryan also alluded to deeply personal challenges with his estranged wife.

He shared that after the Rio Games, he found himself in a negative headspace with a "son on the way with someone I barely knew, who constantly reminded me that he would be forever disappointed in the father I had become." Ryan noted that he'd become depressed, causing him to turn to substances to numb the pain. "Every day, I woke up to be belittled and reminded of my constant failures, day in and day out, until I was eventually kicked out of our family home."

Ryan's estranged wife, Kayla, seemingly responded to the swimmer's claims by sharing a video of Ryan reciting his vows during their September 2018 wedding. In the clip, Ryan admitted that Kayla helped lift him out of the dark space he was in after the Olympics before sharing how excited he was for their future.

In his most recent upload, Ryan said that he was aware of the "backlash" and Kayla's post. "While I respect that, I still stand by my belief that we didn't fully know each other, and honestly, I didn't know myself or who I was. I am very thankful for our three children and the love we shared at that time," he wrote.

Ryan further stated that "therapy" has been an incredible resource for him amid his and his wife's ongoing divorce. "I'm making a tremendous effort to separate myself from the past, as I've truly moved on."

Continuing, Ryan acknowledged the hurt he's caused others in the past, "including the mother of my children." According to the "Traitors" alum, he's working on himself "every day" and asked the public for "outstanding and grace."

He finished by telling his followers that, while he planned to continue speaking about his life, he "will refrain from discussing matters pertaining to my previous marriage."