A police official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing said two guards pointed guns at the swimmers. One of the swimmers tried but failed to open the door of an outside bathroom. They broke the door, and a security guard came to investigate.
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The official says the guard was armed with a pistol, but he never took it out or pointed it at the swimmers.
Tourist police arrived Thursday at the hotel where Bentz and Cogner are staying and left 20 minutes later without the swimmers.
EARLIER: Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were taken off their homebound flight and not allowed to leave Brazil until they give testimony to investigators regarding an alleged robbery that targeted a group of swimmers, People’s Pundit Daily reported Thursday that police say they have a video proving the story was false.
USA TODAY Sports’ attempts to reach Lochte and his mom were unsuccessful. “They were not victims of the crimes they claimed”, Civil Police chief Fernando Veloso said during an afternoon news conference Thursday. He, as well as Lochte’s father and agent, did not return phone calls seeking comment. U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Patrick Sandusky said the three swimmers in Brazil were expected to discuss the incident further on Thursday.
The swimmers could potentially face punishment – probation, suspension, a fine or expulsion – under USA Swimming’s code of conduct, which prohibits dishonesty or fraud. It was not immediately clear if the organization planned to act. Sometime you take actions that you later regret. “Lochte is one of the best swimmers of all-time”. They had fun. They made a mistake.
Bentz and Conger were prevented from leaving Brazil, their passports seized by police Wednesday as investigations continue.
Ostrow had confirmed to CNN earlier his client returned to the United States.
Representatives from the US consulate arrived at the airport shortly after the swimmers were stopped from leaving the country Wednesday night.
Brazilian authorities continued pressing the American swimmers over the ever-changing account of the robbery. The swimmers said they had been intoxicated and could not remember what type and color of taxi they rode, where the incident happened or what time the events occurred, police said.
What really happened, police said Thursday, is one or more of the swimmers was vandalizing a gas station bathroom after which workers confronted them.
But Lochte backed off some of those claims as the week went on, saying the taxi wasn’t pulled over, and that the athletes were robbed after stopping at a gas station. After Lochte refused to get down, he said a man cocked a gun and pressed it against his head. Judge Keyla Blanc De Cnop, in her court order, says the swimmers allegedly say in their statements to police they left the party at France house at 4 a.m.
Lauer said he asked Lochte about the skepticism that his story may have been concocted as part of a cover up.
“Why would anybody fabricate anything?”
Billy Bush, who interviewed Lochte for the original segment, said today that he believed the Olympians story because, “Lochte, even when he’s completely lucid, I don’t think has the ability to weave a mellifluous tale with details.” before being interrupted by Al Roker, who was just so impressed by Bush’s vocabulary choice.
The swimmer, one of the most visible faces of the Olympics and victor of six gold medals, told media that the four had been robbed at gunpoint by a man claiming to be a policeman. The British Olympic Association was responding to a Guardian report that the unnamed athlete was held up at gunpoint after a night out. Police arrived at the Olympic Village to confiscate the passports, but the men were not present, the USOC says.
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While he’s medaled often, Lochte’s accomplishments have always been overshadowed by teammate Michael Phelps – the most decorated Olympian in history.
