After Rio police confirmed yesterday that a gun-point robbery involving Ryan Lochte and three other USA Swimming team members didn’t happen in Rio, Lochte issued an apology over social media.
Posting to his Instagram page, Lochte wrote the following:
“I want to apologize for my behavior last weekend — for not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics. I waited to share these thoughts until it was confirmed that the legal situation was addressed and it was clear that my teammates would be arriving home safely.
It’s traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country – with a language barrier – and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave, but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should be have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that I am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event. I am very proud to represent my country in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided. I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons.
I am grateful for my USA Swimming teammates and the USOC, and appreciate all of the efforts of the IOC, the RIO ’16 Host Committee, and the people of Brazil who welcomed us to Rio and worked so hard to make sure that these Olympic Games provided a lifetime of great new memories. There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend, so I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performances of these Games and look ahead to celebrating future successes.”
Lochte’s apology comes after both he and teammate Jimmy Feigen were indicted in Brazil for “false reporting of a crime.” Teammates Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were also involved, although named as witnesses with no legal action taken against them.
While both Lochte and Feigen claimed that they were robbed at gunpoint, the Rio police confirmed this was untrue and that the swimmers were instead involved in vandalizing a gas station and paying off the security guards.
While Lochte had already returned home to the United States, Feigen was not allowed to return until the issue was resolved. Feigen’s attorney stated this morning that he had reached an agreement with a Brazilian judge and would donate the equivalent of $10,800 USD to an “institution” in Brazil.
Both Bentz and Conger returned home early this morning. Feigen is reportedly heading home later today.
So, who is lying now…Attila The Hunt and Oliverl???
This is clearly a robbery! Poor guys, it must have been terrifying. Ryan Lochte was telling the truth all along about being held up at gunpoint. By the way, Joel Lin was right that there was no bathroom!!! All this time, millions of people were casting stones and unbelievable hate posts towards Ryan Lochte, have been called all names you could possibly think of besides a liar! When in fact, they were the victims of yet another crime in Rio, and that’s all it was, our athletes were held at gunpoint…and were extorted for money TWICE; the $50 by the security guard or whomever they claimed they were and another $10,000… Read more »
Not even too little. Certainly too late. As a Brazilian, I was expecting not an apology, but the truth and an explanation.
After reading the statement from Bentz, I can see how terrifying it would have bee to be held on gun point by the security guards. BUT that is no excuse for lying.
If they were threatened by the security guard, they should have called the cops.
Bentz issued an official statement
http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/081916aac.html
Let’s hear the Lochte Defense Team now… is Gunner a liar? I mean, everyone is safe and sound in the USA so now it’s truth time, no?
Looking forward to hearing the case laid out by the Dream Team.
Wow, this is hilarious! Now the Lochte defense team on this forum have change their tune. Instead of admitting that Lochte is such a blatant liar and is the only person responsible for this incident and has now turn it around and slander Brazil and Brazilians once again but pointing the accusatory finger on Brazil by suggesting that this is a witch hunt from Brazil to EXTORT money from Lochte and company. Are you guys for REAL?
If you act like a jerk in a foreign country by breaking their laws, and disrespecting their culture and society, then there will be consequences. This is not about Brazil’s poverty, or Rio’s crime rate, or corrupt 3rd world police, etc., etc.… Read more »
The IOC should ban Brazil from future Olympics for the lie they told about the bathroom door.
A generic apology on Instagram, what a class act.
Yeah. Lock up your restrooms, Japan!
I’m not sure how much I trust PEOPLE Magazine, but they reported:
“The video backs up what they’re saying,” the source says. “There are three minutes in the middle of the video that are missing, that no one has picked up on. https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/source-says-missing-3-minutes-210437325.html
This presumably means their source actually saw the missing three minutes.