When reports emerged of American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte telling an armed robber ‘whatever’, people were quick to praise his bravery.
The 32-year-old, competing at his fourth games, claimed he and three US team-mates were forced from their taxi at gunpoint and robbed.
The phrase ‘typical Lochte’ was offered in response to the blasé reaction, and many felt no need to ask any more questions.
https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/764877219147681792
That was several days ago, and as more time has passed it’s started to look as though things might not be quite as they seem – and now the Brazilian authorities have accused Lochte of fabricating the whole thing.
According to ABC, a Brazilian police source has claimed that CCTV footage has been found showing the 32-year-old – who won gold in the 4x200m relay in Rio – “breaking down the door to the bathroom at the gas station and fighting with a security guard” on the night in question.
Lochte himself has already left the country and returned to the US, but two of his team-mates – Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger – have now been pulled off their plane by police at Rio de Janeiro airport while on their way out of Brazil.
The pair were with Lochte on the night of the incident, and AP reports that they – along with a fourth American swimmer, Jimmy Feigen – had agreed to speak with local authorities about the alleged armed robbery.
BREAKING: The other 2 USA swimmers who say they were w Lochte during robbery have just been pulled off their plane at Rio airport.
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 18, 2016
And now the authorities claim Bentz and Conger have admitted the robbery tale was ‘fabricated’, with the latest Associated Press reports quoting a police official who ‘spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe.’
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