Brazil’s authorities are looking to question USA swimming stars Ryan Lochte and James Feigen about their accounts of being robbed at gunpoint during the Rio Olympics – although it appears that Lochte, at least, has already left the country.
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Feigen’s whereabouts could not immediately be confirmed, though he told the San Antonio Express-News he was still in Brazil.
“The guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, he put it to my forehead and said ‘get down, ‘” the swimmer said in an interview that was shot on a cell phone after Bush ran into Locate hours after the incident.
The judge also cited inconsistencies with the athletes’ demeanor upon arrival at the Olympic Village after attending a party hosted by Brazilian swimmer Rodrigo Rocha Castro at the Casa França in Rio’s upscale south zone. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so – I’m not getting down on the ground.
A police official with knowledge of the investigation told the AP that police can not find their taxi driver or witnesses. Attorney Jeff Ostrow told USA TODAY Sports that Lochte was already back in the United States as of Tuesday afternoon.
Wednesday’s court order that Lochte and Feigen provide more details about what happened came after police claimed they found little evidence to support the swimmers’ original statements, as well as contradictions in their versions of the event. Judicial sources said they believed the pair was no longer in Brazil, and Lochte’s father told US media his son arrived back in the United States before the order was issued.
Word of the robbery initially created confusion between Olympic and US officials.
Lochte’s lawyer said Wednesday the swimmer was already back in the United States.
Pictures and CCTV have emerged of the swimmer returning to the Olympic complex and passing security on the night of the alleged robbery – with the wallets and watches the men claim were stolen.
“The swim team moved out of the village after their competition ended, so we were not able to make the athletes available”, Sandusky said in a statement, adding that the committee would “continue to cooperate with Brazilian authorities”.
Another potential issue highlighted by judge was the behavior of the athletes on arrival at the Olympic Village in the aftermath.
Blank wrote in her filing that there were questions about a gap between when the swimmers said they left France House and arrived at the athletes’ village.
He later backtracked and apologized, saying he was relying on initial information from the US Olympic Committee that was incorrect.
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Ostrow said Lochte had always planned on leaving Rio after his events, and was never told by Brazilian authorities to “stick around, we want to investigate more, don’t go anywhere”. He added: “It doesn’t behoove Ryan and anyone else to make up a story”.
