Ryan Lochte Maintains He 'didn't Cheat' On Wife Kayla, Never 'wanted To Get A Divorce'

Olympic golden medalist Ryan Lochte responded this week to his estranged wife, Kayla, seemingly suggesting location was a "betrayal" successful their matrimony amid their divorcement proceedings.

Kayla Reid made nan station connected societal media past period showing a slideshow of "reminders" amid their divorce. However, nan erstwhile swimmer pushed backmost connected immoderate conception that he was unfaithful successful their marriage.

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USA swimmer Ryan Lochte during a property convention astatine nan MPC Samba Room anterior to nan 2016 Rio Olympic Games connected Aug. 3, 2016 successful Rio de Janeiro. (Peter Casey/USA TODAY Sports)

"I didn’t cheat," he told People magazine successful a communicative published connected Tuesday. "After she (Kayla) served maine nan divorce, I left, I sewage retired nan house, I sewage a caller house. I was surviving successful location by myself, I was moving connected pinch my life tying to beryllium happy again. I pursued her (Molly Gillihan), I asked her out. She was hesitant because she was like, 'Aren’t you still married?' I was like, 'No I’m not, I’m divorced, it’s over.’

"She gave maine a shot, and we hung retired and, to beryllium honest, I consciousness I recovered a champion friend."

Lochte said he "never wanted to get a divorce," but he admitted that he and Kayla had been "unhappy for a very agelong time."

Reid and Lochte revealed past period that they were group for a divorcement aft 7 years of marriage. TMZ reported Reid revenge for divorce earlier this year, a determination that came "after heavy dream and reflection," she said.

"I clasp matrimony successful nan highest regard, truthful this has been 1 of nan astir painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life. I've been hesitant to stock until I could do truthful from a spot of treatment - not from fresh, unfastened wounds," Reid wrote connected Instagram astatine nan time.

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Kayla Reid and Ryan Lochte are going done a divorce. (Getty Images/IMAGN)

"Sometimes we look tests we didn't take aliases spot coming. And successful those moments, we're forced to make nan hardest decisions to protect our peace, our children, and our future. I've travel to understand that staying isn't ever nan astir loving determination personification tin make. For me, leaving was an enactment of emotion - for those astir maine and for myself."

Lochte past took to Instagram, saying nan determination "hasn't been easy."

"I want to return a infinitesimal to admit what Kayla shared. This past twelvemonth has brought awesome changes for some of america arsenic we've travel to nan difficult determination to extremity our marriage. I'm profoundly grateful for nan life we've built together and particularly for nan emotion we stock for our 3 children," he wrote connected societal media.

"Although this determination hasn't been easy, I judge it's nan correct measurement toward bid and well-being for america both. I stay committed to healing, growth, and co-parenting pinch attraction and respect arsenic we move forward. Thank you to our family and friends for your continued support - it genuinely intends a batch arsenic we statesman this caller chapter."

The mates exchanged rings successful 2016, nan aforesaid twelvemonth Lochte was progressive successful a arguable incident astatine a state position during nan Rio Olympics. Lochte initially claimed he and his teammates were robbed astatine gunpoint, but it was wished those pinch nan guns were really information guards astatine a state position wherever nan swimmers had urinated extracurricular a bathroom. Lochte yet mislaid 4 awesome sponsorships, and USA Swimming suspended him for 10 months.

Ryan Lochte cries during an question and reply aft nan men's 200 individual medley during activity 2 of nan U.S. Olympic Swim Trials connected Friday, June 18, 2021 successful Omaha, Nebraska. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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Lochte won his sixth and last badge successful Rio, a golden arsenic portion of nan 4x200-meter freestyle.

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