Blackmun said that while USA officials haven’t seen the formal statements made by Bentz and Conger, who were with swimming star Ryan Lochte last weekend when Lochte claimed they were robbed at gunpoint after a late-night party, he understands that Bentz and Conger’s account matches what Rio police said earlier Thursday: that the robbery story was a fabrication. The story has also dominated Olympic headlines, overshadowing the worthy accomplishments of athletes who had trained for years just to get to Rio and set records during their performances at these Olympics.
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“Right now as we speak: there was no robberies the way it was claimed by the athletes”.
America’s official Olympic body acknowledged that one of its athletes had committed an act of vandalism in a gas station restroom and the swimmers had handed over money to security staff after they’d demanded payment for the damage in the early hours of Sunday.
“The surveillance tapes show that there was no violence against the athletes at the gas station”, Veloso said.
The robbery that was or wasn’t has become the biggest spectacle outside of the Olympic venues in Rio, casting a shadow over American athletes amid an otherwise remarkable run at the Summer Games.
The U.S. committee called the swimmers’ behavior “not acceptable”. The footage doesn’t appear to show anyone pointing a gun at the swimmers.
They tracked down witnesses, including three of Lochte’s fellow swimmers at the scene, reviewed surveillance tapes and made a ruling on whether the accounts looked or sounded like a robbery.
Should the group of swimmers – which included Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger – be found guilty of providing false testimony, they will likely have to pay a fine, but would not face jail time, police said.
Lochte had already flown back to the United States.
The pair and their two teammates, Ryan Lochte and James Feigen, are accused of lying by telling officials they were robbed by gunmen on Sunday.
Doubts were raised about their account after records of Olympic Village X-ray machines suggested the men were carrying the belongings which they claimed had been stolen in police statements.
His report caused the Olympic authorities huge embarrassment, highlighting security worries at an Olympics where Brazil has deployed 85,000 police and soldiers – double the number used in the 2012 London Games.
Working in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate in Rio, we have coordinated the athletes’ cooperation with local authorities and ensured their safety throughout the process, but we have not seen the full statements provided by Bentz and Conger.
Earlier, Judge Keyla Blank “issued warrants for searches and the seizure of the passports for the USA swimmers”, a statement from her office said.
Hickey fell ill during his arrest Wednesday.
Rio’s police chief denounced the story on Thursday.
Lochte’s story got worldwide attention and touched a nerve in Rio, where violent crime is common.
In addition to multiple incidents of thefts from Olympic athletes or media, a Portuguese government minister was mugged in the swish Leblon district. “All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities”.
By Thursday, the mystery deepened, after Brazilian officials blamed the swimmer for making it all up, then they suddenly backtracked on some details and acknowledged the Olympians had been confronted by security guards with guns.
“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said: ‘Get down, ‘ and I put my hands up, I was like ‘Whatever.’ He took our money”.
The video shows one of the swimmers pulling a sign off of a wall and dropping it onto the ground. Police said earlier this week that they couldn’t find evidence to substantiate the claim, and a judge ordered the swimmers’ passports held as the investigation continued.
They want the truth, even if it means that Lochte and his teammates were trying to have fun and it got out of hand. They came here, they represented their country to the best of their abilities.
“These athletes are done with their swims, maybe they’re a little disappointed, maybe they’re elated and want to have a good time”, Hageman said.
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Lochte, one of the most recognizable swimmers in the world, left Rio Tuesday. “They made a mistake – it is part of life”.
