Kyle Snyder arrested: Olympic wrestling champion breaks silence after incident

Kyle Snyder broke his silence after his arrest going into last weekend during a prostitution sting in Columbus. The Olympic Gold Medalist and former Ohio State star is due in court Monday, May 19.

“I want to thank everyone who has reached out with kindness and support,” Snyder wrote on Twitter. “My focus is on my relationship with the Lord Jesus and my family. This is not conclusion of my journey. 1 Peter 4:17-18.”

For context, here is the bible verse referenced by Snyder. It can be seen in full below.

“For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner.”

Body cam footage was released Tuesday. Snyder was caught after officers received word of the wrestler, one of 16 men, responding to an internet ad, per reports. After allegedly paying with cash to an undercover officer, Snyder was arrested.

Snyder was arrested for engaging in prostitution by uniformed officers inside the reported hotel room. The wrestling star was released from custody at the scene. He was also summoned to appear in court on May 19. The body cam footage shows the wrestler’s arrest and walk down the hallway for further questioning.

Snyder’s demeanor was very calm and he appeared to cooperate fully with the officers, per the video. Now, Snyder and the public will await what’s next when it comes to his court summons. He’s currently scheduled to wrestle next at Final X in June at 97 KG to compete for the Team USA spot for the World Championships, a spot he’s held since his collegiate days.

As a wrestler, Snyder is one of the most decorated American wrestlers in history. He became the youngest American male to win a gold medal at the Olympics when he won in 2016 in Rio while also wrestling in college.

Snyder also won a silver medal at the 2020 (2021 after postponement) Tokyo Olympics. He did not medal in Paris in 2024, but was on his third straight Olympic team and the expectation is he’ll try to make a fourth for 2028.

To train for freestyle wrestling, Snyder reps the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, the senior level training center housed inside Penn State. He joined the loaded room following his career at Ohio State.

Snyder has 30 total gold medals across the Olympics, World Championships and more. He also has five silver and seven bronze medals.

At Ohio State, Snyder was a four-time NCAA finalist (once at 197 and three times at 285). He was a runner-up in 2015 and then won three straight titles at heavyweight from 2016-18. Snyder finished his collegiate career with a 75-5 record.