According to Brazil police, the alleged robbery at gunpoint of US swimmer Ryan Lochte and his three teammates in Rio de Janeiro was a “fabrication” to cover up an altercation in a gas station.
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Lochte, one of America’s most decorated swimmers, and three team mates were involved in the incident at a Rio gas station where Lochte said they had been robbed at gunpoint – a version that was denounced on Thursday by Rio de Janeiro’s police chief.
Police began investigating the incident after Lochte told USA television the four had been robbed by gunmen impersonating police officers who pulled over their taxi in the early hours of Sunday, as they returned to the Athletes’ Village from a party.
As for his claim the cab was pulled over en route, one of the sources concedes, “That’s a problem”.
Insiders in the police department maintain the swimmers invented the robbery story to cover up a confrontation with a security guard who accused them with damaging store property, according to the Associated Press. At one point one of them pulls a sign off of a wall and drops it on the ground behind them.
Brazilian police previously said no gun was pointed at the swimmers. “Once they were calm, the gun was lowered”. The closed-circuit video shows the four in an alley walking toward a bathroom. Once confronted, the swimmers apparently offered to pay for the damage.
But this much is clear: if Lochte’s mother had not talked about the alleged “robbery” Sunday morning, and if Lochte himself had not made a decision to tell NBC later that day that a gun was pointed at his forehead, none of us likely would have ever heard about it. That’s when two men approached with guns and badges and told them to get out and get down, Lochte said. The swimmers handed over money and left. The athletes then left the gas station.
While police were on their way, another customer at the gas station served as interpreter for the athletes and helped agree payment for the damage.
The Shell gas station is near Olympic Park where sporting action has been overshadowed by reports of street crime outside. Police say the swimmers paid 100 Reais (Brazilian currency) and thew in a $20 in American currency to compensate the store. He was later found disorientated but unharmed.
The official, who has direct knowledge of the investigation, spoke on the condition of anonymity Thursday because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe.
A verbal dispute is said to have ensued with the attendants, and security guards were called to contain the incident.
Mr Lochte admitted on Wednesday to some inaccuracies in his original account of being robbed at gunpoint in the early hours of Sunday, but vehemently denied making the story up.
On Thursday, US officials downplayed any diplomatic concerns, saying the matter was for the swimmers and Brazilian police to resolve. Thus far U.S. Olympics officials have not commented on the story.
The USOC said on Thursday that the three swimmers who remain in Brazil would be helping police with their investigation.
“They competed under enormous pressure”. They will continue to question them Thursday, according to U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Patrick Sandusky, who said the two “were detained Wednesday night shortly before their flight was scheduled to depart from Rio”.
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“Let’s give these kids a break”.
