The United States Olympic Committee has released a statement regarding the situation that occurred last night, when Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were pulled off their plane prior to leaving for the U.S. by Brazilian authorities.
The statement given, attributable to USOC spokesperson Patrick Sandusky, went like this: “Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were detained Wednesday night shortly before their flight was scheduled to depart from Rio. They were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday.”
Just yesterday the other two swimmers involved in this, Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen, were forbidden to leave Brazil until evidence began to make sense to authorities. Lochte, who already flew home to the U.S. on Monday, then spoke with NBC’s Matt Lauer, where he reiterated his story was true, despite the fact a few small details were different from the original one he gave.
The USOC statement also spoke about Feigen, as it had been rumored that authorities had been unable to detect his whereabouts, and that he was scheduled to fly home with Conger and Bentz last night but never showed up.
“James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well. We will continue to provide updated information as it is appropriate.”
Feigen reportedly spoke to USA Today Sports last night in a phone interview, stating “I’m just trying to give Brazil what they need or what they want and get out of here, it’s a hassle. But I’m safe, everything’s fine.”
Due to the athletes’ story not lining up with the available evidence, the authorities claim they need more time to determine whether or not they are guilty of filing a false police report, which, under Brazilian law, can lead to either six months detention or a fine.
Ryan Lochte and the others involved in this incident should be ashamed of the way they have treated this and should be held responsible for their actions. That being said I have really developed a sour taste for Brazil and its people. They are some of the rudest, nastiest hosts I have ever seen in an Olympics.
In every match I watched where an American is playing you can hear widespread booing towards the Americans no matter who they are competing against. They are a nation of trashy people and government and this is a way for their government to divert attention from the truely abysmal job they have done hosting these Olympics! Good job Brazil South America will… Read more »
It was never USA problem and everyone understand Rio and Brazil have a lot of their own problems.
The problem in this case was caused by Lochte and friends. Let’s focus on that.
Again.. Rio is a mess, but don´t judge the whole Country based on One city.. I live on a city of over 1 million inhabitants and violence is on a much much smaller scale than Rio.. but this is a city with less inequality also..
Four dudes go out partying in Rio, get drunk, do some minor damage, whip out their units, pee outside in public areas, get caught, pay for damage, head home. ALL GOOD UNTIL Rotten Ryan LyingLocthe opens his mouth and tries to sensationalize the whole deal FOR PRESS and REALITY TV RATINGS. It backfires and here we are. I say send Locate back to Brazil to face charges and shoot his REALITY IN PRISON SHOW.
Lochte jeopardizes his three teammates’ well-being because he called and lied to his mummy about getting robbed and held at gunpoint, and causes embarrassment to USA and USA Swimming.
And he continued that by playing on with the lie on national and international media.
u mad?
The only one I see lying around here and libeling another’s honor and name is YOU. You must be an agent for the Brazilians.
As the police investigation continues into the alleged robbery of U.S. Olympic swimmers in Rio, a Brazilian police source told ABC News that “one of the swimmers was seen on CCTV footage breaking down the door to the bathroom at the gas station and fighting with a security guard” on the night of the incident.
Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte claimed on Sunday that he and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village in Rio.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/us-swimmer-fought-security-guard-night-alleged-robbery/story?id=41481840
Where’s the CCTV footage? I can’t find it, and neither can you. If it’s anything like the other footage of them allegedly “joking around” when they returned to the Olympic village – then it didn’t happen, because there’s no “joking around” going on in that footage either.
I’m guessing you’re going to call Emma McKeon and Palmer liars for also reporting they were robbed. Maybe there are other names, as well, for the multiple other victims of Brazilian crime at these Games?
One of the Olympic US swimmers who claimed they were robbed at gunpoint was filmed fighting with a security guard at a Rio petrol station on the night in question, it is reported.
The swimmer, who has not been identified, was also captured on CCTV breaking down a bathroom door at the premises, Brazilian police told ABC News .
Officials today claimed Ryan Lochte , Jimmy Feigen, Jack Conger, and Gunnar Bentz fabricated their story that they were robbed in the early hours of Sunday.
A security source told Reuters that guards at the station demanded payment for damages from the swimmers following the alleged violence.
The source added that the men then handed over cash.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ryan-lochte-fellow-olympic-swimmers-8658100
Again, no footage!
RIO – The gas station owner in Barra da Tijuca where American swimmers have been involved in a fight reported that athletes staged acts of vandalism on the property. According to the dealer, Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger came to urinate on the spot, despite calls from employees.
– They stopped on the side of the post, left peeing (sic) the side of every post. Have to butt the image of one, arriando pants. They were appointed to go in the bathroom but peed (sic) on the side wall. Obeyed not the board, were not the bathroom. A lady denied to spend minutes before – says the trader, who did not identify.
http://oglobo.globo.com/rio/dono-de-posto-diz-que-nadadores-americanos-praticaram-vandalismo-19947756
Okay. So, Google Translate needs a little work.
All lies. This does not sound anything like our guys.
um- this doesn’t sound like four drunken bros?
Terrible last sentence. Conclusion and effectively states that our swimmers are lying without evidence. Carrying water for the Brazilian authorities who are in full coverup mode.
Brute, you will be disappointed. The officer is on TV as we speak. They have it all on tape.
And yet, have you seen the tape?
Ok, where’s Hulkswim, Yada, Joel Lin, THEROBOTICRICHARDSIMMONS and the rest of Lochte Brigade now?
I wonder what kind of spin they are going to write to defend the punks.
I know you’ll take this as a vindication of every reductive, moronic thing you’ve said but this is the first piece of evidence that has surfaced that casts real doubt on the original story. And yes I agree it looks bad, but up until right now you haven’t had an evidenciary leg to stand on, and this still doesn’t completely disprove thay a robbery may have taken place. The fact that you may turn out to be right doesn’t make you less of a twerp, nor do I feel bad about mocking your, still mostly ridiculous, remarks.
There were already FACTS that Lochte’s story didn’t add up.
You just refused to accept them.
Mhhmmm you’ve made your position abundantly clear. Take your “win” and go away, twerp.
As long as there are trolls, I’m here. I like hunting trolls.
Try the mirror
Yada, you have a point. But I believe there is a lesson learned here. If a judge in Rio ordered the passports taken, he/she probably knew more than us. And she also knew this would be reported everywhere, with the American embassy involved and all that. Like I said in a previous post, they would follow the letter of the law.
And that is what they did.
Sometimes we need to give other countries some credit, you know? Sometimes our guys mess up. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case here.
Now let’s just hope they can settle.
In a week’s time the only damage remaining will be on Lochte’s reputation. This one is gone.
Fair enough. But I do not and will not apologize for not immediately assuming the guys, two of which I know personally, were lying outright. It is unfortunate that that may have turned out to be the case.
Amnesty International article on “The Deadly side of Rio..” Read it. I don’t give the Brazilian police/Justice system the benefit of the doubt, nor credit.
I’m sure the Australian swimmers who got robbed also “messed up”.
People, think. How come we’ve NEVER heard of these incidents at other international events?
If anyone has, please post links for follow up.
Again, WHERE is the evidence, where is the footage?
Attila, i don’t want to bog you down with cold hard facts or nothing but i haven’t said one word in defense of these four dudes in this entire saga. i have made a few comments directed at you and your ridiculous comments, mostly linking back to katinka.
but as anyone who knows me, i’ve been on the ‘this is balogna’ bandwagon from the get-go, but until this point didn’t want to say so in a public forum without more info.
i actually thought sven was onto something, but alas, this incident at the gas station was always the more likely of scenarios.
aaaaaanyhoo- carry on speculating and making judgements without information, even blind squirrels find a nut occasionally.