Monday’s season premiere of the dance competition was disrupted by two protestors wearing anti-Lochte shirts, who rushed the stage after Lochte danced the foxtrot with pro partner Cheryl Burke.
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Two men were detailed by Los Angeles police following Ryan Lochte’s debut performance on Monday night’s episode of “Dancing With the Stars”. The show cut to commercial break following the disruption, and when it returned host Tom Bergeron said there had been “an incident”. “GMA” aired video that wasn’t shown during the live broadcast of one of the men being tackled on stage by security.
ABC Newsreported that the two men made it to the the ballroom dance floor and at least four other individuals yelled anti-Lochte chants. The women were removed by Dancing With The Stars dancer Derek Hough.
The men, Los Angeles locals Sam Sododeh and Barzeen Soroudi, were arrested by police for trespassing. Lochte added that he was “a little hurt, but I came out here”.
Lochte, who is now serving a 10-month suspension from USA Swimming following his Rio scandal, spoke to ET about the anti-Lochte protesters.
Lochte later spoke with E!
The Olympic swimmer found himself at the center of drama and criticism after an incident in which he alleged he was robbed at gunpoint while in Rio. The swimmer later expressed his disappointment, sharing, “So many feelings are going through my head right now”.
“I want the world to know, we want Americans to know that we don’t take what he did lightly”, he continued.
ABC did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment. After Lochte and his partner, Cheryl Burke, finished their fox trot and were getting feedback from the judges, there was a minor commotion that could be heard off-camera.
“I knew that there was going to be a little [controversy], but I put it behind myself”.
Lochte has been under scrutiny after he and other US Olympic teammates were in an incident in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Apparently, network execs over at ABC don’t really understand the problem either, since they gave him a spot on the show and some free publicity.
