Last Swimmer to Testify, Feigen Has to Pay R$ 35,000 Fine to Return to United States
American swimmer James Feigen, 26, reached an agreement with Rio's Courts to pay a R$ 35 thousand (US$ 11,000) fine for the false reporting of a theft involving the four American swimmers on Sunday morning (the 14th) in Rio's western zone.
The amount will be transferred to the Instituto Reação located in Jacarepaguá in Rio's western zone. The decision was reached in the early morning on Friday (the 19th) in an audience at the Court of Fans and Major Events.
With this payment, which was to have been made by the end of Friday, Feigen will get his passport back and be able to return to the United States.
In testimony given on Thursday (the 18th) at DEAT (Special Police Station for Tourist Support) in Rio's southern zone, Feigen said that he knew of the "fantastic" version told by his colleague, Ryan Lochte who alleged that he was robbed at gunpoint.
Feigen explained that there was an argument at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca and apologized to the authorities.
The swimmer, however, not only knew of Lochte's version but also had reported the robbery in his own first statement.
Feigen testified at the police station on Sunday afternoon (the 14th) that he was robbed of US$ 300 (R$ 960).
What made the police start doubting the story from the beginning, were the contradictions in the versions told by Feigen and Ryan Lochte, 32.
Feigen said that the four American swimmers were robbed by several men, including only one who was armed, while Lochte said that they had been robbed by only one man.
Lochte left Brazil on Monday (the 15th) for the United States. Gunnar Bentz, 20 and Jack Conger 21, embarked on Thursday night (the 18th) after giving testimony for three hours at the police station.
According to the Civil Police, the swimmers haven't yet been indicted, but at least Lochte and Feigen should be charged in the next few days with destruction of property and the false reporting of a crime.
Fernando Veloso, Chief of Rio's Civil Police, said that Bentz and Conger confirmed that there was no armed robbery of the group of American athletes last Sunday morning (the 14th).
One of them had said that the version of the story told by their colleague Ryan Lochte was a lie.
The United States Olympic Committee has already apologized for the behavior of the swimmers.
Translated by LLOYD HARDER