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19th Aug 2016

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte indicted by Brazilian police on charge of reporting false crime

Lochte has already left Brazil

Richard Beech

US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has been indicted by authorities in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Federal Police of Brazil.

The 32-year-old gold medal winner, competing at his fourth games, claimed he and three US team-mates were forced from their taxi at gunpoint and robbed.

But according to ABC, a Brazilian police source claimed that CCTV footage was found showing Lochte – who won gold in the 4x200m relay in Rio – “breaking down the door to the bathroom at the gas station and fighting with a security guard” on the night in question.

The authorities claimed the American’s reports were fabricated, and now police in Brazil have indicted Ryan Lochte, and fellow US swimmer James Feigen on charges of false reporting of a crime.

Lochte has left Brazil, but two of his other team mates have been blocked from leaving by police.

It is believed that the athletes in question – Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger – have not been indicted or charged by police.

But the authorities claim Bentz and Conger have admitted the robbery tale was ‘fabricated’, with the latest Associated Press reports quoting a police official who ‘spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe’.