There were a few of them, ‘ Ileana said. They ordered the swimmers out of the auto and to the ground, then took their money and wallets but left their credentials and cellphones.
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The International Olympic Committee had initially denied reports of the robbery, but spokesman Mark Adams later reversed the stand and apologised, saying that he didn’t know about the exact details to the situation.
United States Olympic Committee spokesman Patrick Sandusky said Lochte and swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen were apparently unharmed and safe, reported Swimming World magazine. The four swimmers were in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village when they were pulled over by the posers and demanded for their money and other personal belongings. “We have requested security authorities that they need to make sure everybody’s safe everywhere in the city”. “I have a team, personally, who is always looking out for everything”.
Phelps said he always travels with a personal team that looks out for his safety when he goes overseas and he has never felt unsafe in Brazil.
Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian said the robbery will not affect the way he approaches safety or his post-competition time here.
“Rio is an wonderful city”.
“If travelling at night after dark – between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. – that is only by vehicle, not by foot even if you’re going 400 or 500 meters”. We have been briefed about how to mitigate those risks as well as possible. But we’re glad that at least nothing worst has happened.
Lochte, 32, won one gold medal in Rio as a member of the 4×200 freestyle relay.
In the build-up to the games, three members of the Spanish Olympics sailing team and an Australian paralympian were robbed at gunpoint.
The incident stoked worries over the safety of competitors and visitors to Rio, which has a long history of violent crime, though Brazil’s sports minister insisted that athletes who remained on the Olympic site had experienced no problems.
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While Phelps wasn’t at the party with his fellow swimmers, he said that safety is always a top priority.
