In an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer that aired Saturday, Lochte cites his own “immature behavior” for turning an incident involving unruly actions by the four swimmers into an worldwide incident that led to two swimmers being pulled off their initial flight out of Rio and another paying almost $11,000 to the Olympics’ host nation.
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Two days later, upon reading Lochte’s initial account of a robbery, Deluz says he was surprised to learn that the men were Olympic swimmers.
The NBC exclusive interview will air during Olympic primetime coverage Saturday night.
Ostrow said he doesn’t know how the vandalism took place or if Lochte was responsible for it, but only that the swimmers paid about $20 in compensation before being allowed to leave the gas station. However, reports are coming out that Lochte and his teammates vandalized a bathroom at a gas station and the four swimmers could potentially be charged for false testimony and vandalism.
“All we know for sure is the account that Ryan gave and the swimmers gave, that they were held at gunpoint, was supported by that video and they were forced to give up money”. “We gave money, and we got out”, Lochte said in the interview. Whether you call it a robbery, whether you call it extortion, or us paying just for the damages, like, we don’t know.
Lauer told Lochte that his story had morphed from one about “the mean streets or Rio” to a negotiated settlement to cover up dumb behavior.
We just wanted to get out of there. “If I never had done that, we wouldn’t be in this mess”.
Lochte also said that he had lied in telling NBC interviewer Billy Bush the next day that a gun had been cocked and pointed at his forehead.
USA National Swimming Team members Jack Conger, left, and Gunnar Bentz are escorted through the International terminal at Miami International Airport upon their arrival to the United States from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 19 in Miami, Florida. The video, complete with sound effects, features several shots of Roker stirring his drink as he slams the 12-time Olympic medalist. He also gave an interview to Brazil’s main broadcaster Globo on Saturday to apologize for his actions.
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Since Lochte verified a written summary of his statement to police earlier in the week, Ostrow said, he has not heard back from Brazilian authorities but remains willing to cooperate with the investigation. “I am sorry that my immaturity caused all this ruckus”.
