Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte was held up at gunpoint with three other U.S. swimmers following a party in Rio de Janeiro early Sunday, Olympic officials have confirmed.
The 12-time Olympic medalist was in a taxi with fellow gold medalists Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen when they were confronted by several armed people posing as police officers, according to a statement released by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The individuals “demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings. All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities,” the statement read.
We are all safe. Thank you for your love and support.
— Gunnar Bentz (@TheGunnyBunny) August 14, 2016
A spokesman for the International Olympic Committee previously denied that the incident took place when reporters asked about it.
Lochte’s mother, Ileana Lochte, first reported the incident to Fox Sports News Australia. She said her 32-year-old son was heading to meet Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira when they were held up after stopping for gas.
“They just took their wallets and basically that was it,” she later told USA Today. “I think they’re all shaken up.”
Lochte called his mother Ileana immediately afterwards. She told @FOXSportsNews it was "terrifying" and has just left her hotel to meet him.
— Ben Way (@BenWayFOX) August 14, 2016
Ileana Lochte, who is in Rio, said her son called her after the incident. She described the encounter as “terrifying.”
Requests for comment from USA Swimming and the IOC were not immediately returned.
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