VANCOUVER — American halfpipe bronze medalist Scotty Lago is heading home from the Olympics after risqué pictures of him showed up on the Internet.

Lago, who was awarded his bronze medal Wednesday night, was at a party, wearing a Team USA T-shirt when somebody snapped a photo of a woman kneeling below Lago’s waist to kiss his medal. The picture showed up yesterday on the TMZ Web site.

He apologized to officials at the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and voluntarily returned home.