As inconsistencies emerged in the account, skepticism grew.
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The interpreter has said the swimmers pleaded with the employees not to call the police and that a weapon was produced but never pointed at the athletes. “They fabricated a story”.
In the interview, Matt Lauer said, “You said at some point after you refused to sit down the security guard put the gun to your forehead and cocked it”.
Earlier Monday, Speedo USA executives said the company would drop its sponsorship of Lochte and donate $50,000 to charity.
Lochte said he had torn down a poster in the gas station and as in his comments to United States television added: “To a certain extent I over-exaggerated”.
“We were all frightened”, Lochte tells Lauer. “I was intoxicated”, Lochte responded.
“It hurt. I let my team down”, he said, choking back tears. Thanks to NBC’s multi-billion dollar, multi-year deal on Olympics broadcasts that gives it exclusive access to Olympians, Lochte was a lock for Peacock network. But Lochte admitted that he understood he was being told that the Americans had to pay for the damages or that the police would be called.
“I just wanted to make sure that they were at home safe before I came out and talked”, he added. “We gave money and we got out”.
He said, I “don’t know why” the original story wasn’t the truth. “And the version we’re hearing now is much more about a negotiated settlement to cover up some dumb behavior”.
Ryan Lochte is accepting responsibility for his actions. None of this would have happened. “It was my immature behaviour”. Asked why he was untruthful, Lochte at first said he didn’t know, then went on to say he was intoxicated. He expressed remorse that the controversy became a distraction from the Olympic games.
‘They put on a great games.
They boarded a plane Wednesday night to leave Rio, but authorities removed the pair from the jet.
CCTV footage contradicted Lochte’s claims as it showed them vandalizing the petrol station. As Brazilian police investigated his robbery claim, and eventually held his teammates for questioning while they sorted out his story, he had tweeted he meant to dye it back.
“If they give me that chance, I know I can turn this around”, he said. I don’t want them to think that I left them. And I don’t want that.
More of the interview will air on NBC’s primetime coverage of the Olympics this evening. NBC Nightly News will also be airing a preview of the interview after Channel 3 Eyewitness News at 6. Lochte admitted to that in the interview on Saturday night.
Fernando Deluz, a bilingual Brazilian who served as a translator between the swimmers and the security guards, told U.S. his understanding was the money paid was to cover vandalized property and that the only property that came up during the negotiations was the advertising sign Lochte had pulled down.
Mr Lochte had claimed that he and a group of three other United States swimmers had been robbed at a petrol station. The competitive swimmer apologized and explained his claims.
“I left details out, which, that’s why I’m in this mess”, Lochte said in response.
Under normal circumstances, the Lochte interview would have been a huge get, but this time out there wasn’t the usual pursuit by rival news organizations.
He said he had waited until his teammates returned to the US before speaking again about the incident.
“None of this would have happened”, he added about the aftermath in which three of his fellow swimmers were questioned by Brazilian police and one was ordered to donate almost $11,000 to a Brazilian charity.
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The Associated Press reported on Sunday, August 21, that USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said disciplinary action against the athletes is on the way, but did not specify further.
