Brazilian sources Twitter
on Thursday that American swimmers lied about being robbed by men dressed as police officers, claiming surveillance video showed an American swimmer fighting with a gas station security guard on the night of the alleged incident.
#BREAKING Brazil sources: #RyanLochte + 3 swimmers fabricated robbery story. Video shows swimmer "fighting" w/security at gas station @GMA
— Matt Gutman (@mattgutmanABC)
Reuters reported on Thursday that the swimmers paid for damage they caused at the
According to Brazilian outlet TV Globo, the police said there was no robbery, but a confusion involving the swimmers at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca. The athletes damaged the bathroom door and the police were called. According to the security guard, the athletes got aggressive when he pointed a gun to prevent them from leaving the gas station. There was a discussion and the athletes agreed to pay for the damage.
Two of the swimmers involved in the incident, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, were removed from a flight to the United States in Rio on Wednesday night and detained by Brazilian officials.
“The three U.S. Olympic swimmers (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen) are cooperating with authorities and in the process of scheduling a time and place today to provide further statements to the Brazilian authorities,” Patrick Sandusky, a United States Olympic Committee spokesperson, said in a statement. “All are represented by counsel and being appropriately supported by the USOC and the U.S. Consulate in Rio.”
On Wednesday, a judge issued an order to seize the passports of swimmers Ryan Lochte and Feigen, who were also involved in the incident, but Lochte was already back in the U.S.
On Wednesday, Lochte changed some elements of his recollection of the incident in an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer. While he initially told NBC’s Billy Bush that a gun had been pointed at his head, he told Lauer that the gun had Twitter
. Lochte also told Lauer that the swimmers had stopped at a gas station to use the bathroom, while he originally said the men dressed as police officers had pulled them over.
Luciano Sarmento contributed reporting.
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