“It was clear that much of the population felt humiliated by this false robbery claim and people anxious that the image of Brazil was damaged by this incident”, Mario Andrada, the Rio Committee’s communications director, says in a Portuguese statement obtained by Us Weekly.
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“It’s traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country – with a language barrier – and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave”, he said. Rio police struggled to find evidence that supported Lochte’s claims and produced video evidence that suggested the swimmers had got into an argument at the gas station and that one of the swimmers had vandalized a toilet door. Lochte has said that he hopes to represent the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Two of the other swimmers, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, were on their way home Friday after being held in the country to testify.
Two of the other swimmers, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, were on their way to the United States yesterday after being held in Brazil to testify.
“We accept and appreciate his apology”, said Mario Andrada, spokesman for the local organizers of the Rio Games.
Feigen was one of four American swimmers who said they were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning. The saga was an enormous embarrassment for the U.S. Olympic team, which has dominated in the medal count. Instead, Brazilian police said the men, while intoxicated, vandalized a gas station bathroom and were questioned by armed guards before they paid for the damage and left. “They stopped at a gas station to use the restroom, where one of the athletes committed an act of vandalism. They were not victims of the crimes they claimed”, Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso told a news conference.
The four sportsmen initially said they had been robbed as they travelled back to the athletes’ village after a party on Sunday. They were greeted back home with yard signs that said “Go Jack” and “Welcome Home”. Eventually, after investigators reviewed surveillance footage and spoke with witnesses, police said a robbery had not occurred at all.
“I gave them what I had in my wallet, which was a $20 bill, and Jimmy gave them 100 Reals”, Bentz recalled, “which is about $50 in total”.
Bentz, Lochte, Feigen, and Conger then walked a block, picked up another taxi, and returned to the Olympic village. Feigen remains in Brazil.
“I want to offer a honest apology to the United States Olympic Committee, USA Swimming, the extraordinary women and men of Team USA and the University of Georgia”.
Police announced Thursday that their investigation found the swimmers were not the victims of a robbery. In a detailed account, he said that Lochte “pulled to the ground a framed metal advertisement that was loosely anchored to the brick wall” and claimed “Ryan and the security guards had a heated verbal exchange” but said no guns were pulled. If prosecutors win their appeal, Feigen would only have to pay if he ever wanted to return to Brazil. Bentz and Conger talked with authorities on Thursday and were whisked through airport security and got on a plane that night.
Lochte and the other swimmers could face sanctions from USA Swimming, including fines or suspension. The group, as well as Olympic officials, publicly expressed disappointment and said they would further examine the matter.
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Lochte has said he plans to take an extended break after Rio, and relocate to Los Angeles.
