Despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) claiming that they had spoken to both the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and Ryan Lochte and that they had denied that the latter was robbed at gunpoint overnight, Lochte has confirmed directly to NBC that it is true.
News broke early this morning that Ryan Lochte was one of three American swimmers robbed at gunpoint overnight when leaving a party that they had been invited to by Brazilian star swimmer Thiago Pereira in Rio de Janeiro. Olympic pool swimming concluded on Saturday night.
Pereira’s representatives have said that the group left the party in a taxi and that the taxi was robbed.
The Associated Press, however, said that the IOC told them that the USOC had spoken to Lochte, and the USOC claimed that Lochte denied that it had happened. The IOC said that the incident was “absolutely not true.”
Despite the denials by the USOC and IOC, Lochte spoke to NBC reporter Billy Bush on Sunday morning and confirmed that it was, in fact, true.
Lochte’s mother was the one who first shared the information with media, calling the incident “terrifying.”
The identities of the other three American swimmers involved have not been revealed.
https://twitter.com/BraddJaffy/status/764863618081026048
“Lochte initially denied reports of the robbery through Olympic officials.
He later told NBC News that one of the men had put a cocked gun to his head.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/sports/olympics/ryan-lochte-and-three-teammates-robbed-at-gunpoint.html
Is it just me or am I the only one wondering why they would venture out like that after all the warnings?
I wouldn’t myself, but when a Brazillian swimmer invites you to a party, I could see a false sense of security assuming Periera knows the safe locales. This happened on the way back though.
Crickey this is Lochte’s funny or die sketch from 2012, only it actually happened. In all seriousness hope he is ok.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/ryan-lochte-among-four-us-swimmers-robbed-gunpoint-rio
This kind of stuff pisses me off. First of all, shame on the IOC. I had zero respect for them prior to this incident and now they’re just absolute garbage in my book. Another disgusting coverup and this time it looks like the USOC want to be the villains, as well! This is how we treat our athletes? DISGUSTING.
Brazil, man from the booing of American athletes (team volleyball – they were often booed by Brazilian crowd when serving) to multiple criminal incidents – you guys need to tighten things up!
Wow, Scary. Hope everyone is alright. Sounds like it but what a scare.
I don’t understand why David Marsh would deny this. If he didn’t know what was going on, why couldn’t he just say that he was just trying to figure out what was going on?
I mean, if ya wanna throw your tinfoil hat on – they (IPC and USOC) could have collectively decided to squash the story to save face, then Ryan might’ve gone rogue. (Or the USOC wanted to make the USOC look bad, there are dozens of possibilities.)
I’d assume the IOC wouldn’t be dumb enough to just deby this out of hand, right? Call me Alex Jones on this one.
Take the first plane out of Rio!