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US swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger stopped at Rio airport US swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger stopped at Rio airport
(about 2 hours later)
The Brazilian authorities have stopped US swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger from boarding a flight at Rio de Janeiro airport, the US Olympic Committee has confirmed.The Brazilian authorities have stopped US swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger from boarding a flight at Rio de Janeiro airport, the US Olympic Committee has confirmed.
The two men were taken off a plane, bound for the US, for questioning late on Wednesday and released hours later.The two men were taken off a plane, bound for the US, for questioning late on Wednesday and released hours later.
Two teammates - Ryan Lochte and James Feigen - were barred from leaving the country, but Lochte had already left. Two teammates - Ryan Lochte and James Feigen - were barred from leaving the country, but Lochte has already left.
Police have queried their accounts of a robbery they reported in Rio on Sunday.Police have queried their accounts of a robbery they reported in Rio on Sunday.
The four swimmers said they had been robbed at gunpoint in a taxi in Rio. The four swimmers said they had been robbed at gunpoint in a taxi in Rio in the early hours.
But police say their account of when they arrived at the Olympic village does not square with CCTV recordings. Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. In Rio, he swam in two events, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Feigen, who told the San Antonio Express he was still in Brazil, won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Bentz competed in the 4x200m preliminaries, but not the final. He still received a gold medal after the US team's win.
What has been the reaction to the arrests?
A statement from the US Olympic team said that Bentz and Conger "were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday".A statement from the US Olympic team said that Bentz and Conger "were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday".
"James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well," said TeamUSA."James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well," said TeamUSA.
Lochte's lawyer told the BBC he got back to the US two days ago. Lochte's lawyer told the BBC he had returned to the US two days ago.
"He arrived back before the judge issued anything," said Jeffrey Ostrow."He arrived back before the judge issued anything," said Jeffrey Ostrow.
"He was never asked to remain for further investigation or for any other purpose after he met with Brazilian authorities after he gave a statement.""He was never asked to remain for further investigation or for any other purpose after he met with Brazilian authorities after he gave a statement."
Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. What do we know of the alleged robbery?
In Rio, he swam in two events, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay. Accounts of what happened to the swimmers have been confusing from the beginning, and it appears they did not immediately alert either the Brazilian police or the Olympic authorities about it.
'Inconsistencies' News of the incident emerged after Lochte's mother told US media about it.
Feigen, who told the San Antonio Express he was still in Brazil, won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Lochte himself gave an initial account of the events to US TV network NBC on Sunday, saying he and the other swimmers were in a taxi returning from a club in the early hours when they were pulled over by men wearing police badges.
Bentz competed in the 4x200m preliminaries, but not the final. He still received a gold medal after the US team's win. He said they pulled a gun and told the swimmers to get on the ground. "I refused... and then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead..."
Accounts of what happened to the swimmers have been confusing from the beginning. Lochte has since slightly altered his account, telling NBC on Wednesday that the taxi was not pulled over - they were robbed while making a stop at a petrol station - and says the gun was not pointed directly at his forehead.
Lochte gave an initial account of the events to US TV network NBC, but International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said reports of the robbery were "absolutely not true". He called the inconsistencies a "traumatic mischaracterisation" caused by the stress of the incident.
The US Olympic Committee (USOC) later confirmed the swimmers' accounts. What has been the Brazilian authorities' reaction?
Lochte himself told police that he and team mates Feigen, Bentz and Conger had all attended a party in the French Olympic team's hospitality house on Saturday evening. The judge investigating the case found further inconsistencies and ordered police on Wednesday to seize the swimmers' passports to prevent them leaving Brazil.
He said that during their return drive to the Olympic village, their cab was stopped by men who pulled a gun and robbed him of his money and personal belongings.
But police investigating the case say they have found no evidence of the robbery. They also point to "inconsistencies" in the swimmers' accounts.
Lochte and Feigen told police they and their fellow swimmers had returned to the Olympic village at 04:00 local time (08:00 GMT).
But CCTV recordings appear to show the swimmers returning to the Olympic village at 07:00 local time.
Police say they have not been able to track down the driver who the swimmers said drove them back to the village.Police say they have not been able to track down the driver who the swimmers said drove them back to the village.
They also said that Feigen and Lochte had given different accounts of how many men robbed them. And CCTV footage of their return to the athletes' village appears to show the swimmers laughing and joking, and handing over their wallets, phones and accreditation, as they go through the security screens. The judge said they did not show signs of being affected by a robbery.
Investigators have requested a search warrant for the rooms the swimmers stayed in with a view to examining Feigen's mobile phone.