Ryan Lochte Discusses Fall from Fame in Alex Rodriguez's 'Back in the Game'

"I was like the most loved person to the most hated person, like that."

That's how United States swimmer Ryan Lochte described his fall from grace following his 2016 Olympic scandal to Alex Rodriguez in CNBC's Back In The Game (around the 4:15 mark):

Lochte won a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, but his legacy will forever be tarnished by his out-of-the-pool drama.

During his time in Rio, Lochte made headlines by saying he and his teammates were robbed at gunpoint. However, he later admitted that he "over-exaggerated" the story, as surveillance footage showed the swimmers vandalizing a gas station.

As a result, Lochte was charged with reporting a false crime. Though he was later cleared of criminal charges, he did receive a 10-month ban from competing.

He was then suspended for 14 months in July 2018 for an anti-doping rule violation.

"I was on top of the world for so long," Lochte told Rodriguez. "...And after 2016 happened, immediately, [sponsors] dropped me. Everyone's like, 'I don't want to work with this guy.' It just got all screwed up."

Lochte told Rodriguez that he is hoping to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which would be his fifth Games. He has 12 career Olympic medals, including six golds.