Swimmer's Daily

  • Brazilian police have recommended that United States swimmers Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen be indicted on charges of falsely reporting a crime in Rio de Janeiro, Federal Police of Brazil told ABC News.

    ABC News had previously reported that the pair had been indicted, but it is up to prosecutors to decide whether to act upon the recommendation, and that step has not yet been taken.

    The latest twist comes after Brazilian police said four American swimmers were not robbed at gunpoint at a gas station as they claimed. (…)

    “No robbery was committed against these athletes. They were not victims of the crimes they claimed,” Civil Police chief Fernando Veloso said during an afternoon news conference Thursday.

    Veloso said the four swimmers vandalized the bathroom on the side of the gas station, damaging mirrors and other property. He said surveillance video shows employees of the gas station tried to control the situation but that the swimmers went to their taxi and tried to get away.

    When employees realized what was going on, security guards asked the taxi driver not to leave and to wait for police. Although Brazilian police had said previously that no guns were involved in the incident, Veloso said security officers at the gas station did use guns to control the situation. The surveillance video does show a man approaching the taxi with an object in his hand, but it’s not clear whether it is a gun.

    Veloso said the gun involved was a legal weapon used by the security guard.

    Veloso said the athletes refused to wait for police to arrive. During that time, a third person offered to interpret and explained to the athletes that they had to pay for what they had done to the bathroom. According to Veloso, they offered to pay in the form of a $20 bill and 100 reals (about $51).

    See ESPN

  • A new report is saying that Ryan Lochte, along with three other U.S. swimmers, lied about an alleged robbery in Rio. CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy joins CBSN with the latest details.

  • Officials are questioning details of Ryan Lochte’s claim that he and three fellow U.S. swimmers were robbed at gunpoint in Rio. TODAY’s Natalie Morales suggests that Brazilian officials “had to have strong evidence” to pull two of the swimmers from their plane as they were about to leave the country. Al Roker says Lochte’s account of the alleged incident “embarrassed the host country of the Olympics.”

  • Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller released a statement confirming the incident.

    Chiller said the pair left a nightclub in Copacabana in the early hours of Wednesday morning (Rio time).

    “McKeon chose to stay the night with swimming friends in the Copa district without informing team management,” the statement said.

    Palmer has told officials that after his friend left he was approached by a man who forced him to withdraw $1,000 in cash from a nearby automatic teller machine.

    “Palmer was found later by two businessmen in the Copa district who reported that the swimmer was disoriented and had lost his wallet and phone.”

    The businessmen phoned the Australian Consulate who contacted the head of security for the Australian Olympic Team, Greg Nance.

    Chiller said the pair must remain in the Village between 8:00pm and 8:00am local time and only travel to sporting events in official Rio 2016 transport.

    Read ABC

    https://youtu.be/YT7Td4IaDUs

  • As the police investigation continues into the alleged robbery of U.S. Olympic swimmers in Rio, a Brazilian police source told ABC News that “one of the swimmers was seen on CCTV footage breaking down the door to the bathroom at the gas station and fighting with a security guard” on the night of the incident.

    Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte claimed on Sunday that he and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village in Rio.

    See ABC News


  • The Guardian reported that the victim had been held up at gunpoint while enjoying a night on the town in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

    A spokesman for the British Olympic team confirmed an “incident of theft”, adding: “All members of our delegation, including the individual concerned, are accounted for, and are safe and well.”

    GB took 366 athletes to Rio.

    They have since been reminded of security protocols including not to wear official GB kit outside of the Olympic Village and not to take local taxis, according to the Guardian.

    It said a letter from GB officials stopped short of issuing a curfew on athletes, but warned them not to carry any valuables and to inform team management of any plans to stay in Rio overnight.

    United States swimmers Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger have claimed they were robbed in a taxi at gunpoint in Rio on Sunday but police have queried their accounts.

    Read BBC

    Photo by seanfoneill

  • While the 2016 Rio Olympics has been filled with memorable victories by athletes of all genders, this year’s Games has also had its fair share of sexist moments.

    A video by UltraViolet — a national women’s advocacy group known for conducting online campaigns to highlight women’s issues such as violence, maternity leave and equal rights — calls out the media for some of the blatant sexism that has been displayed thus far during the 2016 Olympics coverage.

    The video compiled some of the most unbelievably sexist moments in Rio coverage, beginning with the Fox News segment in which host Tamara Holder explained, “female Olympians are sexing it up more than ever by wearing makeup…” before asking two male reporters to discuss their thoughts on the topic.

    “Fun Fact: Olympians get gold for winning, not for looks.”

    Read Mashable

  • IOC Director of Communications Mark Adams confirmed the arrest of President of the Irish National Olympic Committee Patrick Hickey during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, after the 71 year-old was detained on suspicion of swindling ticket sales

    Read for instance The New York Times and New York Post

  • Read SwimmingWorld Magazine

    U.S. Olympian swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were both stopped from boarding their flight out of Rio Wednesday night. The pair, along with Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen, were allegedly victims of an armed robbery early Sunday morning in Rio. NBC’s Peter Alexander broke the news, and it was later confirmed by USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky. (…)

    Lochte and Feigen were the only two whose passports that Brazilian judge Keyla Blank ordered seized, but Lochte had reportedly already left Brazil, according to Alexander.

    Lochte confirmed to NBC’s Matt Lauer that he got home today, but before leaving he met with Brazilian authorities in what he called a “casual meeting.” According to Lauer, Lochte informed authorities that he would be available for contact via his agent or lawyer if he was needed to comment further.

    In speaking to Lauer, Lochte did change two elements of his original description of the robbery. First, he admitted that the cab the four swimmers were riding in stopped at a gas station so they could go to the bathroom when they were approached by robbers. Previously, Lochte had claimed the cab was pulled over.

    He also claimed that the robber pointed a gun in his general direction, not pressed against his head. Lauer said of the inconsistency, “he feels it was more a traumatic mischaracterization.”

    Feigen is reportedly still in Rio. NBC’s Gadi Schwartz reported that Feigen checked in online for the flight but did not show up at the airport, knowing that his passport would be seized. The USOC has refused to confirm Feigen’s whereabouts.

    https://youtu.be/SMrSt8cE6Ks