The story just doesn’t add up. According to his mother, Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte was robbed at gunpoint this past weekend along with “at least one of his teammates.” But at the time, The Associated Press said the reports were “absolutely not true,” according to an IOC spokesman.
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But then, talking to USA Today Sports on Tuesday, Lochte claimed that yes, he was in fact robbed at gunpoint, but “initially did not tell the U.S. Olympic Committee… ‘because we were afraid we’d get in trouble.'”
Here’s the tale Lochte recounted to USA Today:
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We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,” Lochte said. “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so — I’m not getting down on the ground.
“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, ‘Get down,’ and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials.”
One problem, though: Rio Police claim Lochte and other swimmers are “unable to provide key details” about the incident. Lochte, for example, says he was drunk and couldn’t remember the location of the robbery. Meanwhile, footage clearly shows the swimmers getting back to Olympic Village shortly before 7 in the morning.
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Sports Illustrated reports Lochte and his three fellow teammates didn’t report the incident “out of fear they would get in trouble.” So far, officers have been unable to locate the taxi driver, and no witnesses have materialized.
Jeff Ostroy, Lochte’s lawyer, insists the robbery is real: “Ryan was a hundred percent cooperative and fully available when they reached out to us for an interview. It doesn’t behoove Ryan and anyone else to make up a story.”
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Brazilian paper O Globo claims police have noted that the players in question — Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen — provided contradictory details. While Lochte said police stopped their taxi in a fake “police blitz” by armed assailants, Feigen said the taxi first pulled over and that’s when the robbers approached.
Feigen explained away the discrepancy by saying he was asleep at the time of the robbery.
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Nevertheless, these conflicting reports might subsequently be used against Lochte and company. Brazilian officials are unwilling to take responsibility for the crime, with Minister of Sports Leonardo Picciano saying, “Certainly no athlete has had any problems where they are staying, during their training or in the Olympic Village.”
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The latest development: According to CBS News, Brazilian Judge Keyla Blank has ordered that Lochte and Feigen’s passports be seized while authorities continue to investigate the claims, but Ostroy says Lochte has already returned to the states:
Ryan is safely back in the United States, with his passport. I have no information about the Brazilian authorities attempting to keep him in Brazil for further investigation. I’m shocked to hear that they would go to such measures as he has been nothing but cooperative with authorities, including sitting for a full interview with the Tourist Police, U.S. State Department, USOC Security, FBI, and anyone else that requested to be present. “
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Regarding the incident, Lochte posted the following statement to Instagram:
So Lochte was robbed, wasn’t robbed, but was in fact robbed, and his passport was seized, but not before he’d already returned to the states. That’s all we know, but we’ll update after taking some aspirin if any of the confusion gets sorted out.
CWM85
And this has to do with Glbt issues how?
crowebobby
The “players” in question WOULDN’T remember the same details unless they made the story up and rehearsed it together. When you’re being robbed at gunpoint in the middle of the night in a city reputed to be one of the most dangerous in the world, you tend to get a wee bit flustered. After bank robberies in broad daylight the victims often can’t even agree on how many robbers there were or what kind of weapons they had. On a side note, I had friends who visit Moscow years ago and felt so completely safe they wandered the streets at night without a care only to find out later that there had been a serial killer on the loose that the government wouldn’t let the newspapers mention.
robho3
I was thinking that Ryan might be making this up when I first heard the story. He is an attention whore ( and not very bright). He’s probably upset Michael Phelps is getting more attention and nobody really cared when he dyed his hair. This guy is a giant d-bag.
brooklynbobby
@CWM85: I agree with you. What does this have to do with anything any of us in the LGBTQ community could give one rats ass about? Is he even rumored to be gay or something? Was there a gay element to this I am missing? DUH!
Stenar
I’ve felt it was a lie since this first hit the news. It’s not even the swimmers accounts not adding up, Lochte’s own statements are contradictory. His story keeps changing.
Stenar
@CWM85: Oh, right. We’re only supposed to care when Lochte has a “scene-stealing erection” or something.
He BGB
It’s funny that if he was short and fat nobody would care. Of course he wouldn’t be a fast swimmer either. Maybe one last attention getting moment before we forget about him for 4 more years?
Kangol
@CWM85: He’s straight. Queerty loves straight men. Thus, this story, which is certainly less sketchy than Lochte’s. (And yes, Rio is dangerous. But no, you’d remember something of that cab ride, and why on earth would you be afraid of reporting a crime to the IOC? Were they on drugs?)
dean089
@Stenar: Exactly. Some gay guy gets a hardon and suddenly everything about Ryan Lochte becomes an issue important to gays.
Meanwhile, having to decide whether to trust Ryan Lochte or trust the IOC puts a person in quite a bind. Neither has a particularly good track record when it comes to honesty.
Bryguyf69
While I agree that this may not be LGBT-specific, I think it’s fine to include on Queerty since Lochte does have a sizable gay following. That aside, I don’t think the claim is a total lie. Having been a mugging victim myself (twice),I agree that it’s not easy to be consistent during questioning, especially if the questioner is hostile. That may have been the case with Brazilian police, given anti-American sentiments (common in international competitions) and Brazil’s need to avoid embarrassment. Crime is an especially sensitive issue for Brazil. Add the fact that the guys were drunk and on an emotional high, and inconsistencies are inevitable. And as @crowebobby points out, if there was concerted conspiracy, the four guys would likely be more consistent.
We must also ask what Lochte — and the other three swimmers — have to gain from making up such a story. There are many ways to get publicity without embarrassing the host country and involving the legal system. The other three swimmers are not known as media whores or troublemakers so why did they get involved? They had nothing to gain and a lot to lose. My guess is that a crime did happen, but the exact details have yet to be revealed.
MediaGuy
He was afraid of “getting in trouble”. You’re a grown fucking man not Lindsey Lohan. This is stupid and the guy is an a-hole. All this happy horse sh it from a guy who admits to peeing in the pool. Suck it Ryan. Besides, you’re looking too old these days to be making-up teen girl drama like this.
Bryguyf69
@Kangol asks: “why on earth would you be afraid of reporting a crime to the IOC? Were they on drugs?”
—–
Possibly. It could’ve been a drug deal gone wrong. Or they could’ve been seeking prostitutes. These were young men on an emotional high so yes, they could’ve been involved in something that the IOC wouldn’t look kindly on. But that doesn’t mean they they weren’t mugged.
Bryguyf69
For Lochte-hater who thinks the story is fake, explain why the other three swimmers got involved. None of the three crave the limelight nor are they known as troublemakers. What do they have to gain? Why didn’t Lochte just concoct a story about himself? It would’ve been simple. He could’ve have gone to bathroom by himself and then claimed to have been robbed. Think about it.
Stache
I’ve been pulled over in Mexico and blackmailed into handing over all my $ to the police so wouldn’t surprise me at all something like this happening.
rcktetr
I admit. I like lochte. He’s attractive. Gl. He seems nice. Just having fun w his life. Hope he’s not lying. Will be a little disappointed I him. Although I admit I’m ki did a fan bc he’s hot. Lol
rcktetr
Although the new hair color ain’t good.
Nahald
They were probably out looking for drugs and ran into the wrong guy. They cannot tell the truth because they’d lose millions in product endorsements!
ErikO
@Nahald: Very true. Now he’s claiming they were robbed while on a plane, so yes he is lying.
Mo Bro
I believe Michelle Obama gave that same statement to police four years ago.
DDstar1me
For some strange reason I believe his claims. Although he is a d-bag, I can’t imagine why he would want to seek attention in this way. And like someone else said, what of the other swimmers? what do they hope to gain from such a lie? I believe them. Only because the media has conditioned me to always believe that wonder breads are sweet and always harmless when compared to others…wink!
John
I don’t believe him. He says he didn’t initially report it, how did it get reported then? If someone pointed a gun to my head robbed me and I was 100% innocent of any other questionable behavior going on I would report immediately. I wonder IF he was somewhere he shouldn’t have been area known for drugs? prostitution? gay bath house? etc…and either pick pocketed or robben at gunpoint and to cover himself he/they made up the story. I too think he is a douche bag. Also, is this a story he told his mother who then told the story to the press and got the ball rolling. There are some things we don’t want our parents to know so we “fudge” a little to make us look like a victim when they happen because if we are/were caught it nay be criminal or embarrassing. Jus’ sayin’
crowebobby
@crowebobby: Turns out they were lying IN THIS CASE, but it doesn’t invalidate anything I’ve said, just means these guys are liars.
Billy Budd
It was a lie. Trying to confirm silly stereotypes about my country.
CarlIsle
Why doesn’t this article mention the security footage of the guys returning to the Olympic village with all the items they claim were stolen clearly still in their possession?