Rio 2016 organizers have issued an official apology to Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, the four American swimmers robbed at gunpoint overnight when leaving a party in Rio de Janeiro.
Mario Andrada, spokesman for organizers, released the following regarding the incident:
“We regret the violence has got so close to the athletes. We have requested the security authorities … need to make sure everybody is safe everywhere in the city. We apologize to those involved and regret that violence is an issue in these Games.”
Andrada also said that police are currently in search of the cab driver. (LA Times)
As reported, despite the International Olympic Committee having denied the incident, the United States Olympic Committee confirmed that the four swimming stars were indeed held up after their taxi was stopped by perpetrators posing as police officers.
Below is the USOC statement we published yesterday:
“According to four members of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte), they left France House early Sunday morning in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village. Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings. All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities.”
In an additional update, the International Olympic Committee, who initial denied the robbery report to the press, has explained its original stance.
Per IOC spokesman Mark Adams, “I contacted the [U.S. Olympic Committee and] they told me the story was not correct. I reported it was not correct,” Adams said. “I was asked to get an update from USOC, I got an update from USOC, I gave you USOC’s update and there was another one after that.”
And then it turns out they were apologizing for a fabricated incident and scumbag Lochte was lying through his teeth.
I guess I’m a bit perplexed as to why the Officias owe these athletes an apology when the athletes made the choice to leave the Olympic village late at night when everyone who has been paying any attention knows that Rio is not the safest
Place to be right now. If the olympics were in NY or LA and Brazilian athletes hit those cities and were robbed how could we expect the Olympic officials to be in charge of their security no matter where they are. Rio may not have been the best choices
For these games but once it was selected every individual has the responsibility to take whatever precautions they Can to protect their own security.… Read more »
Why deny the robbery? What benefit is there in doing so?
What was the point of denying the robbery? I see no benefit from it…
Since all 4 swimmers are white, I think there should be a White Lives Matter movement organized immediately
At least 3 of the 4 (I don’t know the 4th) aren’t known as the brightest bulbs. I would guess there is more to the story.
Kathy – How can you make this comment? I seriously doubt you know any of these guys, and I am close to two of them, Lochte not being one of them. They are super young adults and hard workers in the pool, and by the way, they made the U.S. Olympic a Team, which doesn’t happen if you are taking care of business the right way.
And yet the USOC have now acknowledged he made up the story to cover his drunken behaviour. Insult your hosts – good one Lochte
Can we respect how much of a bro Lochte was throughout the whole thing
Will we hear an apology from USOC and IOC who denied the incident ever happened?