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| Police discredit Ryan Lochte’s robbery story, say swimmers owe Rio an apology | Police discredit Ryan Lochte’s robbery story, say swimmers owe Rio an apology |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police Thursday accused swimming star Ryan Lochte of fabricating his story of being held up along with three of his U.S. Olympic teammates by armed assailants. But the authorities also acknowledged a gun was pulled on the foursome by a security guard early Sunday at a Rio de Janeiro gas station, where the swimmers apparently damaged property at the end of a late-night excursion. | RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police Thursday accused swimming star Ryan Lochte of fabricating his story of being held up along with three of his U.S. Olympic teammates by armed assailants. But the authorities also acknowledged a gun was pulled on the foursome by a security guard early Sunday at a Rio de Janeiro gas station, where the swimmers apparently damaged property at the end of a late-night excursion. |
| The police statement contradicting Lochte’s account, along with the decision by Brazilian authorities to prevent his three fellow swimmers from leaving the country, threatened to overshadow the Rio Games and what has been a stellar performance by U.S. athletes, led by the American swimming team that ended its competition here last week. | The police statement contradicting Lochte’s account, along with the decision by Brazilian authorities to prevent his three fellow swimmers from leaving the country, threatened to overshadow the Rio Games and what has been a stellar performance by U.S. athletes, led by the American swimming team that ended its competition here last week. |
| “No robbery was committed against these athletes,” Fernando Veloso, chief of the Rio de Janeiro police investigative division, said during a packed news conference Thursday afternoon. “They were not victims of the crimes they claimed.” | “No robbery was committed against these athletes,” Fernando Veloso, chief of the Rio de Janeiro police investigative division, said during a packed news conference Thursday afternoon. “They were not victims of the crimes they claimed.” |
| The police account came as Team USA swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, who were pulled off their U.S.-bound flight Wednesday by Brazilian authorities, were questioned about the incident at a police station. According to Veloso, one of the two confirmed to investigators that Lochte’s account had not been altogether true. | The police account came as Team USA swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, who were pulled off their U.S.-bound flight Wednesday by Brazilian authorities, were questioned about the incident at a police station. According to Veloso, one of the two confirmed to investigators that Lochte’s account had not been altogether true. |
| [Brazilians express outrage as swimmers’ story unravels] | [Brazilians express outrage as swimmers’ story unravels] |
| Lochte, 32, one of the most decorated U.S. Olympic athletes, was in the United States, having left Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, but Bentz, Conger and Jimmy Feigen remained in the city, their passports confiscated while the authorities complete their investigation. | |
| No charges have been filed against the swimmers — and the potential charges of falsely reporting a crime and damage to property likely would not preclude the swimmers from leaving the country — but the incident has set off a firestorm locally. Brazilians have reacted with anger and indignation at an apparently false crime report that only served to boost the perception of Rio de Janeiro as a lawless, chaotic city that was unprepared to host an Olympics. | No charges have been filed against the swimmers — and the potential charges of falsely reporting a crime and damage to property likely would not preclude the swimmers from leaving the country — but the incident has set off a firestorm locally. Brazilians have reacted with anger and indignation at an apparently false crime report that only served to boost the perception of Rio de Janeiro as a lawless, chaotic city that was unprepared to host an Olympics. |
| Many Brazilians believe Lochte’s initial story preyed upon that reputation. | Many Brazilians believe Lochte’s initial story preyed upon that reputation. |
| “I’m very aware of the chaos of the city, of the violence, of all the Brazilian problems,” said Tati Leite, a 40-year-old film producer in Rio de Janeiro. “Taking advantage of this, to hide misbehavior, I felt offended.” | “I’m very aware of the chaos of the city, of the violence, of all the Brazilian problems,” said Tati Leite, a 40-year-old film producer in Rio de Janeiro. “Taking advantage of this, to hide misbehavior, I felt offended.” |
| Veloso, the Civil Police chief, said Lochte and the others owed Cariocas — the local term for Rio de Janeiro natives — an apology for having “stained” the city “for a fantasy.” | Veloso, the Civil Police chief, said Lochte and the others owed Cariocas — the local term for Rio de Janeiro natives — an apology for having “stained” the city “for a fantasy.” |
| As the American swimmers left the police station Thursday evening, they were swarmed by a crowd of journalists amid shouts of “liars” by some, in English. | As the American swimmers left the police station Thursday evening, they were swarmed by a crowd of journalists amid shouts of “liars” by some, in English. |
| Just after 8 p.m. Rio time on Thursday, attorney Sergio Riera said Bentz and Conger had been given authorization to leave Brazil by the special Olympic court. “They are on their way to the airport,” Riera said. | Just after 8 p.m. Rio time on Thursday, attorney Sergio Riera said Bentz and Conger had been given authorization to leave Brazil by the special Olympic court. “They are on their way to the airport,” Riera said. |
| At the airport, Marcelo Belmonte, a volunteer from Rio 2016 transport team, said the two American swimmers passed through security at a special entrance near the American Airlines desk in Terminal 2. Jefferson Bonfim, a baggage employee with American Airlines, said they were scheduled to board Flight 990 destined for Miami. | |
| Veloso, the police chief, told the Brazilian newspaper O Globo that Feigen was being interviewed by police Thursday evening. | |
| Rather than an armed robbery at the hands of assailants who pulled over their taxi and identified themselves as police, as Lochte originally claimed, the incident appears to have stemmed from a drunken pit stop at a gas station bathroom in the West Rio neighborhood of Barra de Tijuca, near the Athletes’ Village, at around 6 a.m. Sunday. | |
| [Just who is Ryan Lochte?] | [Just who is Ryan Lochte?] |
| Surveillance footage from the gas station appears to show at least one of the swimmers — who completed their Olympic competition Saturday — pull off the metal door to the bathroom. The gas station’s owner told the Brazilian news outlet Globo that the swimmers urinated on the wall. | Surveillance footage from the gas station appears to show at least one of the swimmers — who completed their Olympic competition Saturday — pull off the metal door to the bathroom. The gas station’s owner told the Brazilian news outlet Globo that the swimmers urinated on the wall. |
| In the video, released by Brazilian police, gas station employees observe the athletes, then escort them out of the bathroom. In another clip, from a different camera angle, the athletes quickly seat themselves on the ground and raise their hands, as if ordered by a person with a gun. | In the video, released by Brazilian police, gas station employees observe the athletes, then escort them out of the bathroom. In another clip, from a different camera angle, the athletes quickly seat themselves on the ground and raise their hands, as if ordered by a person with a gun. |
| Veloso confirmed that one of the security guards produced the weapon to “contain” the swimmers so they could not leave without paying for the damage. “The firearm was used in a situation in which they were contained. When they were contained the firearm was put away,” he said. | |
| If the police account is true, it would mean Lochte lied about portions of the incident, for reasons that are unclear. His attorney, Jeff Ostrow, did not immediately return a telephone message at his Fort Lauderdale, Fla., office Thursday. The day before, Ostrow said the incident happened “exactly the way Ryan described it” under oath to Brazilian police Sunday. “They were robbed at gunpoint — the way he described it,” Ostrow said. | If the police account is true, it would mean Lochte lied about portions of the incident, for reasons that are unclear. His attorney, Jeff Ostrow, did not immediately return a telephone message at his Fort Lauderdale, Fla., office Thursday. The day before, Ostrow said the incident happened “exactly the way Ryan described it” under oath to Brazilian police Sunday. “They were robbed at gunpoint — the way he described it,” Ostrow said. |
| But Lochte’s account has changed at least twice. He apparently denied that any incident at all had occurred when first asked about it by a U.S. Olympic Committee official, who was responding to media accounts of a robbery attributed to Lochte’s mother, Ileana. The denial led to a bizarre series of events Sunday, in which an International Olympic Committee spokesperson said the reports of an alleged robbery involving Lochte were “absolutely not true,” attributing the information to the USOC, then later pivoted and apologized to Lochte and the others for issuing the initial denial. | But Lochte’s account has changed at least twice. He apparently denied that any incident at all had occurred when first asked about it by a U.S. Olympic Committee official, who was responding to media accounts of a robbery attributed to Lochte’s mother, Ileana. The denial led to a bizarre series of events Sunday, in which an International Olympic Committee spokesperson said the reports of an alleged robbery involving Lochte were “absolutely not true,” attributing the information to the USOC, then later pivoted and apologized to Lochte and the others for issuing the initial denial. |
| [Chronology of events since Lochte gave his initial account] | [Chronology of events since Lochte gave his initial account] |
| Lochte eventually provided a detailed account of the alleged incident to NBC in an on-camera interview, saying the assailant claimed to have been a police officer, demanded the four swimmers hand over their money and wallets and pressed a gun to Lochte’s forehead when he initially refused. The shocking story made global headlines, underscoring the widespread perception that the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics have been beset with problems of crime and violence. | Lochte eventually provided a detailed account of the alleged incident to NBC in an on-camera interview, saying the assailant claimed to have been a police officer, demanded the four swimmers hand over their money and wallets and pressed a gun to Lochte’s forehead when he initially refused. The shocking story made global headlines, underscoring the widespread perception that the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics have been beset with problems of crime and violence. |
| But Brazilian authorities began to raise doubts about the account, saying there was no evidence of an armed robbery and producing video surveillance footage of the swimmers returning to the Athletes’ Village in a seemingly calm, even jovial mood. | But Brazilian authorities began to raise doubts about the account, saying there was no evidence of an armed robbery and producing video surveillance footage of the swimmers returning to the Athletes’ Village in a seemingly calm, even jovial mood. |
| By Wednesday, as doubts about the original account grew and as the other swimmers were blocked from leaving the country, Lochte, from the safety of the United States, altered his account slightly during an off-camera interview with NBC “Today” host Matt Lauer. This time, Lochte said the taxi had pulled into a gas station, instead of being stopped by the assailants, according to Lauer, who spoke on NBC’s Olympics telecast Wednesday evening. Lochte also backed off earlier claims that the assailant put a gun to his forehead. | By Wednesday, as doubts about the original account grew and as the other swimmers were blocked from leaving the country, Lochte, from the safety of the United States, altered his account slightly during an off-camera interview with NBC “Today” host Matt Lauer. This time, Lochte said the taxi had pulled into a gas station, instead of being stopped by the assailants, according to Lauer, who spoke on NBC’s Olympics telecast Wednesday evening. Lochte also backed off earlier claims that the assailant put a gun to his forehead. |
| Lochte, 32, was one of the most celebrated and visible American athletes in Rio this month, a major figure in his sport, a four-time Olympian and a centerpiece of NBC’s marketing push heading into the 2016 Games. A gold medal in the men’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay gave him six career Olympic gold medals and 12 overall, the latter figure ranking behind only U.S. teammate Michael Phelps among male swimmers in history. | Lochte, 32, was one of the most celebrated and visible American athletes in Rio this month, a major figure in his sport, a four-time Olympian and a centerpiece of NBC’s marketing push heading into the 2016 Games. A gold medal in the men’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay gave him six career Olympic gold medals and 12 overall, the latter figure ranking behind only U.S. teammate Michael Phelps among male swimmers in history. |
| Feigen, 26, made his second Olympic appearance in Rio, while the 20-year-old Bentz and 21-year-old Conger — the latter a three-time All-Met swimmer of the year from Rockville — were first-time Olympians. All three won their first Olympic gold medals in last week’s swimming competition, helping the United States dominate the medal tables, with 33 overall, including 16 golds. | Feigen, 26, made his second Olympic appearance in Rio, while the 20-year-old Bentz and 21-year-old Conger — the latter a three-time All-Met swimmer of the year from Rockville — were first-time Olympians. All three won their first Olympic gold medals in last week’s swimming competition, helping the United States dominate the medal tables, with 33 overall, including 16 golds. |
| Following the end of the swimming competition Saturday night, Bentz, Conger, Feigen and Lochte left the Athletes’ Village for a party at France’s hospitality house on the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon. They left between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m., according to a spokesman for Club France, and went to another “community.” | Following the end of the swimming competition Saturday night, Bentz, Conger, Feigen and Lochte left the Athletes’ Village for a party at France’s hospitality house on the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon. They left between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m., according to a spokesman for Club France, and went to another “community.” |
| After a three-hour gap that remains unexplained fully, the swimmers’ taxi pulled into a Shell gas station on Avenida Armando Lombardi at around 6 a.m. | |
| Veloso presented a possible motive for the deception, saying two of the swimmers had some involvement with two girls at the party they were leaving and may have wanted to disguise the fact. | |
| “The first information came from a driver who took two young women who left the event. These young women . . . had made out with the swimmers,” Veloso said. “[The swimmers] had a reason to tell a story that wasn’t true.” | |
| When the swimmers reached the gas station, they broke a mirror, a door and a soap dispenser, Veloso said, which attracted the attention of the employees. The swimmers got into their taxi to leave, but the employees asked the driver to wait for police to arrive. | When the swimmers reached the gas station, they broke a mirror, a door and a soap dispenser, Veloso said, which attracted the attention of the employees. The swimmers got into their taxi to leave, but the employees asked the driver to wait for police to arrive. |
| One of the two security guards working at the gas station pulled a gun, according to Veloso, who added it is common for police officers in Brazil to work second jobs as private security. An unidentified, English-speaking person translated the employees’ claims to the swimmers that they were expected to pay for the damage. One of the swimmers produced a $20 bill and 100 Brazilian real — worth around $31 — and they left before police could arrive. One of the security guards told investigators that Lochte appeared intoxicated. | |
| At no point, Veloso said, was there any attempt to extort the swimmers. | At no point, Veloso said, was there any attempt to extort the swimmers. |
| In an Olympics full of moments of athletic brilliance — by Phelps and Katie Ledecky in swimming, by Simone Biles in gymnastics and Usain Bolt in track, among others — the Lochte affair has dominated headlines for the bigger part of a week, and even the Rio 2016 organizers seem to wish it would simply go away. | In an Olympics full of moments of athletic brilliance — by Phelps and Katie Ledecky in swimming, by Simone Biles in gymnastics and Usain Bolt in track, among others — the Lochte affair has dominated headlines for the bigger part of a week, and even the Rio 2016 organizers seem to wish it would simply go away. |
| Asked whether he expected an apology from Lochte, to cancel out the one the Rio organizers issued to him in the wake of Sunday’s news, Mario Andrada, spokesman for Rio 2016, said none was necessary. | Asked whether he expected an apology from Lochte, to cancel out the one the Rio organizers issued to him in the wake of Sunday’s news, Mario Andrada, spokesman for Rio 2016, said none was necessary. |
| “Let’s give these kids a break,” Andrada said. “Sometimes you take actions that you later regret. Lochte is one of the best swimmers of all time. They had fun. They made a mistake. Life goes on.” | “Let’s give these kids a break,” Andrada said. “Sometimes you take actions that you later regret. Lochte is one of the best swimmers of all time. They had fun. They made a mistake. Life goes on.” |
| Jerry Brewer and Sally Jenkins in Rio de Janeiro and Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report. | Jerry Brewer and Sally Jenkins in Rio de Janeiro and Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report. |