Disciplinary action has been handed down to Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte and his teammates following their actions in Rio.
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Asked whether he was a victim, as Lochte had previously suggested, or a vandal, as the police have claimed, he said: “It’s how you want to make it look like”.
The report also noted that the other three us swimmers involved in the early-morning incident – Jimmy Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz – will receive lighter suspensions.
He will also forfeit the $100,000 (£75,000) in bonus money that went with his gold medal at the Games.
USA Swimming and the US Olympic Committee have also banned the three other swimmers involved.
“These athletes took accountability for their mistakes and are committed to represent themselves and our country with the great character and distinction we expect”.
He said he had “tarnished” the games and overshadowed the fans and other athletes competing.
The incident took place in the early morning hours as the swimmers returned to the athletes’ village after a night of partying at the French House.
Lochte will also have to serve 20 hours of community service, and will miss the American athletes’ post-Olympic trip to the White House. I’m gonna better myself.
But as Brazilian officials began to investigate Lochte’s tale, he was forced to alter his narrative multiple times, eventually acknowledging he “over-exaggerated” elements of it.
A video emerged on August 18 showing the swimmers vandalizing a gas station before an altercation with a Rio security guard. The incident happened at the gas station, not on a highway, and the man who pointed a gun in Lochte’s direction was not a robber, but an armed security guard demanding restitution for the advertising sign Lochte had torn down.
Brazilian authorities said the group destroyed a bathroom at a petrol station and urinated in public and have recommended Lochte be charged with falsely reporting a crime. Lochte apologized for his “immature behavior”.
Reports emerged last night regarding the length of Lochte’s sanction, which came after USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun promised last month that “further action” would be taken against the swimmers having claimed they had let down America and detracted from the success of the Games.
He has been announced as one of 13 competitors on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars”, which begins September 12.
Even without the suspension, Lochte’s future in the sport was murky at best.
Lochte struggled at this summer’s Olympic Trials and Olympics.
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Bentz, a junior at UGA, was the first Georgia men’s swimmer to win a gold medal after he swam in the preliminary rounds of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
