A police source told ESPN that Conger and Bentz were interviewed for more than three hours at the airport. The two were taken off their flight from Brazil to the us on Wednesday by local authorities amid an investigation into a reported robbery targeting Ryan Lochte and his teammates. But they would “collaborate with Brazilian justice” after some confusion over the court order and a police officer’s statement is resolved, according to the lawyer, Sergio Riera. He gets out. At around the same time, on a different camera, another swimmer can be seen heading down an alley near the gas station bathroom.
Advertisement
The swimmers pushed on the door, which broke it.
The images broadcast on Globo TV appeared to show the swimmers, including Olympic gold medallists Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen, being prevented from leaving the station by security.
According to The Daily Mail, the real story is that Ryan and his teammates destroyed some property at a gas station, and wouldn’t pay for the damages until a security guard with a gun confronted them and made them pay up – but he never pointed his gun at them. Details are sketchy but reports suggest the Americans damaged the bathroom door at the gas station and it was demanded they pay for the damages.
AP reports that Brazilian police official says story from swimmers about being robbed was fabricated. Instead, Civil Police chief Fernando Veloso said one of the Olympians had confirmed video evidence of vandalism. Lochte’s attorney, Jeff Ostrow, said the athletes had moved out after the completion of their sporting events and that his client had returned to the United States. She said investigators needed more time to determine if the swimmers filed a false police report.
While he has medaled often in the Olympic pool, Lochte’s accomplishments have always been overshadowed by teammate Michael Phelps – the most decorated Olympian in history. RyanLochte + 3 swimmers fabricated robbery story.
Lochte’s father told The Associated Press by phone from his Florida home that his son called him Tuesday after arriving in the United States. A Brazilian judge also ordered Lochte’s passport be seized, but he said he has already returned to the U.S.
“We got pulled over in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing, just a police badge, and they pulled us over”, he said on the “Today” show.
Conger and Bentz were not allowed to leave the country last night.
“As part of our standard security protocol, we do not make athlete travel plans public and therefore can not confirm the athletes’ current location”, Sandusky said.
Advertisement
A day after police pulled two of Ryan Lochte’s teammates off a USA -bound plane to discuss their claims of being robbed last weekend, we’re seeing reports that the group was involved in an altercation that centered on a gas station’s bathroom.
