In a news conference yesterday, Rio police said us swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, who had been pulled off an airplane by authorities as they attempted to return to the USA, gave statements that they had not been victims of a robbery, as Lochte had reported and told NBC News in interviews.
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Lochte’s statement came as criticism of him poured in for causing such a huge and unnecessary distraction at the world’s premier sporting event, a competition watched by billions of people.
James Feigen (top L), Ryan Lochte (top R) Gunnar Bentz (bottom L) and Jack Conger, the swimmers who were involved in the incident.
Feigen was among four USA swimmers who Lochte said had been robbed at gunpoint by men posing as police officers at a gas station in Rio de Janeiro, a story that police maintain is false. In two of the swimmers statements- Bentz and Conger- they described public urination, vandalism and other drunken antics by Lochte and mentioned he was in need of calming down during the situation with the armed guards.
The worldwide incident kicked off when Lochte claimed that he and his fellow athletes were robbed at gunpoint by men who were dressed as police officers.
The police also cited video footage that captured them laughing and smiling as they returned to the Olympic Village from a late-night party after the time they said they were robbed.
“This was a situation that could and should have been avoided”, Lochte said.
The 32-year old swimmer added he accepted responsibility for his role in it and had “learned some valuable lessons”.
Lochte left the country earlier in the week, but his teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen were ordered to stay in the country to answer questions on possible charges of filing a false police report.
Brazilian police said in a later statement that a security guard did point a gun at the athletes.
Attorney Breno Melaragno said under the agreement, Feigen will make the donation, get his passport back and depart. “It is not representative of what is expected as Olympians, as Americans, as swimmers and as individuals”, Wielgus said in a statement Thursday night. The incident turned into a black eye for the United States swim team. Feigen had agreed to pay $11,000 to a Brazilian charity, police said. They had fun. They made a mistake. “They were not victims of the crimes they claimed”, said Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso.
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Lochte said “sorry” to Brazil on Friday for inventing the story. Lochte said the gun was held to his head and he refused the assailants’ order to get on the ground – while the other three complied. He said Ryan Lochte removed a poster from a nearby wall, which resulted in the swimmers being confronted by two armed security officers.
