Rio’s former police chief speculated Monday that the driver bringing the four swimmers, including gold medalist Ryan Lochte, back to Olympic Village could have been in cahoots with the armed robbers who were involved in the Sunday stickup. A US Olympic Committee spokesperson said: “Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings”. “They pulled out their guns”. The athlete and one-time reality TV show star revealed that he tried to stand up to the imposters before a gun was pulled on him.
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“They pull out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground – they got down on the ground”. But Lochte refused: “We didn’t do anything wrong, so – I’m not getting down on the ground”.
Fellow Team USA swimmer Nathan Adrian said he heard the news about the incident when he woke up, but said he wasn’t anxious. They let the swimmers keep their cell phones and credentials. “I am honored to have represented the US here at the Rio Olympics and to win gold for my country alongside my teammates”.
“We obviously regret that the violence has taken place so close to athletes, we have requested the security authorities that they need to make everybody safe in the city”.
But it was later confirmed by the athlete’s mother, before Lochte gave a detailed account of the ordeal to USA television. Despite the potential gravity of the robbery, Patrick Sandusky, the spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, confirmed just after the incident that the four swimmers were not injured.
Lochte released a statement on Sunday, in which he said: “What is most important is that we are safe and unharmed”. “I was asked to get an update from USOC, I got an update from USOC, I gave you USOC’s update and there was another one after that”. I am honored to have represented the USA here at the Rio Olympics and to win gold for my country alongside my teammates.
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Phelps wasn’t out with his teammates that night as he was spending time with his family instead.
