Ryan Lochte and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed early Sunday morning by individuals posing as armed police officers, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The four swimmers — including Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen — were in a taxi from France’s hospitality venue to the Olympic Village when the incident occurred, the USOC said.
“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,” Lochte told NBC Sports in an interview. “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn't do anything wrong, so — I'm not getting down on the ground.
“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, "Get down," and I put my hands up, I was like 'whatever.' He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials.”
The USOC added in its brief statement on the matter that the four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities.
Bentz later tweeted: “We are all safe. Thank you for your love and support.”
The morning began with reports that Lochte, a 13-time Olympic medalist who won a relay gold medal at these Games, texted his mother, Ileana, and said he had been robbed at gunpoint. Not long after that was reported, Ryan Lochte said the story wasn’t accurate.
International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said that he understood from the USOC that the report was “absolutely not true.”
Then Lochte's mom again said he was robbed and a Brazilian swimmer confirmed it. That was followed by Ryan Lochte telling NBC Sports it was true.
The IOC later referred comment on the matter to the USOC and didn't immediately respond to a request to clarity the organization's initial comment on the matter.
Feigen and Lochte room with Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, in the athletes’ village.
In a question and answer session on Reddit last week, Feigen sounded excited about the possibilities after the eight-day swimming competition ended Saturday.
“Once the games are over the party begins!” he wrote. “That is outside the village though.”
During a previously-scheduled news conference Sunday, U.S. swimmer
Nathan Adrian said he's not concerned about security in Rio de Janeiro.
"Rio's an amazing city and there's going to be problems anywhere you go," he said. "We have been briefed on how to mitigate those risks as well as possible."
