Lochte Admits on American Television That He "Exaggerated That Story" Regarding the Incident in Rio
In an interview aired on American television network NBC, swimmer Ryan Lochte said that "I'm taking full responsibility because I over-exaggerated that story" regarding the incidents in which he was involved in Rio de Janeiro
"If I never had done that, we wouldn't be in this mess. None of this would have happened and it was my immature behavior", he admitted.
Lochte, winner of the gold in the 4 X 200 m relay, was one of four American swimmers who alleged that they had been robbed at gunpoint on the way back from the Club France, a thematic French club, to the Olympic Village in Rio's southern zone.
That story was contradicted by his fellow swimmers. Videos show the athletes vandalizing the bathroom at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca and then arriving at the Olympic Village hours after the supposed assault with all their belongings and with a carefree, relaxed demeanor.
Questioned by the network interviewer about his claim to have been a victim in the episode, Locked repeated that he had had a gun pointed in his direction - videos show that during the altercation at the gas station, a security guard from the establishment pulled a gun.
"It's how you want to make it look like, whether you call it a robbery, whether you call it extortion or us paying just for the damages, we don't know", Lochte said. "All we know is there was a gun pointed in our direction and we were demanded to give money."
"We just wanted to get out of there." Lochte said. "[It was] the only way we knew... This guy is saying 'you have to give them money'. So we gave them money and we got out."
Translated by LLOYD HARDER