The “dangers”of Rio was a hot topic prior to the opening ceremony for the 2016 Olympic games. Several members of the USA swim team got an up-close-and-personal experience with the dark side of Brazil when medalist Ryan Lochte and three other US swimmers were robbed at gunpoint Sunday.
Lochte and fellow swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen attended a post event party at a hospitality house hosted by France early Sunday. The group then hopped in a taxi to head back to the Olympic Village.
The taxi was pulled over by “police officers” who demanded the athletes’ money and belongings. Ryan Lochte shared the details with NBC.
“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a police badge, no lights, no nothing — just a police badge and they pulled us over,” Lochte told NBC. “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.”
“I think they’re all shaken up,” Lochte’s mother, Ileana Lochte, told USA Today.
Lochte released a statement thanking family, friends, and fans for their support.
“While it is true that my teammates and I were victims of a robbery early Sunday morning, what is most important is that we are safe and unharmed,” he said.
https://t.co/LgkoJe4qkm pic.twitter.com/Ed3V6vWhuf
— Ryan Lochte (@RyanLochte) August 14, 2016
