One of the U.S. Olympic swimmers caught up in the scandal over a fabricated claim of a robbery during the games in Rio de Janeiro, offered a detailed account of the events that happened that night while apologizing for his actions, according to a statement from the University of Georgia.
Advertisement
Lochte originally claimed that he and his fellow swimming teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen, were held at gunpoint after a party they attended last Sunday in Rio.
Lochte said he had torn down a poster in the gas station and as in his comments to USA television added: “To a certain extent I over-exaggerated”. “Then the second guard drew his weapon and both guards pointed their guns at us and yelled at us to sit on a nearby sidewalk”. The Olympic swimmer made his way back to the US on Friday after being held in Brazil to testify. Ultimately, Bentz said he and Feigen paid the equivalent of about $50.
The security camera footage shows the athletes coming down a corridor.
Lochte said in the statement that he wants to apologise for his behaviour last weekend.
Rio 2016 organizers said moments after Lochte’s statement that it was welcome and that they were prepared to move on.
“There was no aggression”.
“There was a uniformed person with a gun who forced them to hand over their money”, Ostrow told The Times. “Never. There was nothing like that”, Fernando Deluz said Friday during an interview with The Associated Press.
Lochte had already left Brazil before he was indicted on charges of reporting a false crime – something which also resulted in two of his young team-mates being hauled off their flight out of the country and questioned by local authorities. Rio civil police disagreed, claiming that the athletes had vandalized the gas station bathroom while intoxicated.
Police have said authorities are considering charging the athletes with falsely reporting a crime and destruction of property, both of which are punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine. Costa said Feigen’s passport would be returned and he would be able to leave Brazil after making the payment, ABC said.
Ryan Lochte has apologised for “not being more careful and candid” in his account of the alleged Rio robbery.
After the swimmers returned to their vehicle, according to Bentz, two men approached their auto and told them to come out.
While Lochte didn’t really admit to fabricating his story, the United States Olympic Committee confirmed it was not a robbery.
Advertisement
After questioning, as of Thursday evening, Conger and Bentz were allowed to leave Rio and had arrived back in Miami on Friday morning, USA Today is reporting. “It’s a reminder that all of us, when we travel and especially when we represent the U.S.in the Olympics, are ambassadors for our country and should be on our best behavior”.
