They said they were robbed by men posing as police officers, adding that the group initially didnt contact the U.S. Olympic Committee because they were afraid (theyd) get in trouble. The story made quick waves Sunday, especially after Lochte, 32, detailed the alleged encounter on the Today show.
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“All are represented by counsel and being appropriately supported by the USOC and the U.S. Consulate in Rio”, Sandusky said.
There were reports late Wednesday Conger and Bentz were removed from their flight to the USA by Brazilian authorities. Lochte has left Brazil and is back in the United States. All three swimmers reportedly will talk to police Thursday. He didn’t provide details. The swimmers didn’t speak to reporters as they left the airport, shuttled away in a black auto. “With this, they are banned from leaving the country”, the statement said.
Reached Thursday in Austin, Texas, Feigen attorney Mark Hull said: “We don’t have any comment yet at this point”.
It appears Brazilian officials are not simply going to let this one go.
He accused Brazilian authorities of trying to “save face” after allowing the incident to become “a circus”.
“They never said, ‘Stay around, ‘” Ostrow said. And Blank’s office said the judge was probing “possible inconsistencies in the swimmers’ stories”, including varying accounts of how many assailants were involved. The two were with star US swimmer Ryan Lochte and another squad member, James Feigen, when they said they were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday.
According to the NBC report, Lochte strongly denied that the swimmers fabricated the story of the robbery.
A new video, according to ABC News, shows a swimmer “fighting” with security at a gas station. When police arrived, the swim team had already moved out of the village following the end of their competition.
Earlier Wednesday, Judge Keyla Blank “issued warrants for searches and the seizure of the passports for the US swimmers”, a statement from her office said. “All members of our delegation, including the individual concerned, are accounted for, and are safe and well”, a representative said. Lochte won a gold in Rio in a relay race alongside Phelps.
The official, who has direct knowledge of the investigation, spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe.
“Lochte said he had a gun put to his forehead in the robbery, when the swimmers” taxi was pulled over by criminals who forced them to lie on the ground and stole money and other items. The swimmers also could not say what time the events occurred. Lochte signed the statement to attest to its truthfulness, Ostrow said.
“Why would anybody fabricate anything?”
On Sunday, the swimmers described being robbed after a late-night party, with Lochte saying armed men took his wallet.
Steve Bentz, father of Gunnar Bentz, when reached by phone late Wednesday night, said: “I really don’t want to say anything”, and hung up.
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The British Olympic Association told CNN on Thursday that one of its athletes had been a victim of theft there. The BOA declined to say if the incident was reported to police.
