Police in Brazil have charged U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte with making a false statement about being robbed at gunpoint during the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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Numerous pundits have pointed out that Lochte’s race might have helped him get a free pass for his alleged transgressions, comparing his case with that of 20-year-old U.S. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, who drew bitter criticism for not putting her hand over her heart during the national anthem.
But the police say he made up the story and officers produced video evidence that the group were actually challenged by security guards after they’d vandalised a petrol station toilet.
“When you have one of America’s athletes who comes out and said something happened to him that happens to people there every single day, that doesn’t look good for a country trying to have a successful Olympics”, he said.
” Following the incident, Lochte flew back to the United States, while the other three swimmers – Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen – stayed in Brazil”.
“Brazilian police have asked a judge to issue a summons for the 12-time Olympic medalist to appear in a Brazilian court and answer accusations he filed a false police report, Clemente Braune, a commissioner with the Special Tourist Police in Rio, said Thursday”.
The tale humiliated first the Brazilian hosts of the Games and later Lochte’s own Team USA after police contested his story.
The swimmer’s spokeswoman, Melissa Nathan, said Lochte had no comment.
“Once notified, the penalty is the same whether or not he appears, as provided by law for the crime of false reporting of a crime: imprisonment of 1 to 6 months”, he said. They were later allowed to leave Brazil, as was Feigen, after he also gave testimony.
The charges in Brazil raise questions about the future for Lochte, who is planning to take time off from swimming but wants to return to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
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Softish Throat Drops said it would launch a series of ads featuring Lochte with the slogan: “Forgiving on Your Throat”.
