The Ryan Lochte robbery story in Rio just took another strange twist.
According to ABC News’ Matt Gutman who cites Brazilian authorities, video is allegedly out there of Lochte and three other United States swimmers fighting with security at a gas station and that the robbery story was ‘fabricated’.
#BREAKING Brazil sources: #RyanLochte + 3 swimmers fabricated robbery story. Video shows swimmer "fighting" w/security at gas station @GMA
— Matt Gutman (@mattgutmanABC) August 18, 2016
The Daily Mail is further reporting that the fight with security was a result of Lochte and the swimmers breaking down a bathroom door at the gas station.
Wednesday evening U.S. swimmers Jack Conger, 21, and Gunnar Bentz, 20 were removed from their flights in Rio bound for the United States. Both were believed to be the other swimmers with Lochte and James Feigen the night of the apparent robbery and cannot leave Brazil until they give sworn testimony of the account.
Meanwhile, Lochte is already back in the United States while Feigen’s stayed in Rio to answer questions after a judge ordered his passport seized.
Speaking of Lochte, during a phone interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer his account of what happened during the supposed robbery has changed according to Deadspin.
Lauer said the medal-winning swimmer “softened” or “stepped back” elements of his story, including details of how his alleged attackers approached Lochte’s taxi. Lochte initially said the robbers, posing as police, pulled the taxi over, but he told Lauer that the taxi had stopped at a gas station so the swimmers could use the bathroom. When they returned to the taxi and asked the driver to leave, Lochte said, the driver didn’t respond, and the swimmers were subsequently accosted.
Lochte also told Lauer that the gun was “pointed in my direction,” which differs from his original characterization of the gun being put to his head.
We’ll have more as the story continues to develop.
