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Lochtegate is the colloquial name of the scandal involving United States swim team members Ryan Lochte, Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger during the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1][2][3][4][5] While initial news stories reported that Lochte and three other US swimmers had been robbed at gunpoint after a night out in Rio, later details emerged that the "armed robbers posing as police" were actually security guards at a gas station where the swimmers had urinated outside the bathroom and Lochte allegedly vandalized a framed poster, and ended with the swimmers providing money to the guards. Some of the swimmers were detained in Brazil as witnesses. Ultimately, the athletes each released statements, and one swimmer paid a fine of approximately $10,800 to a Brazilian charity in order to get his passport back. Lochte apologized for not being more candid about the gas station dispute, and subsequently lost four major sponsorships.[6]
On September 8, both the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Swimming suspended Lochte for 10 months and Bentz, Conger, and Feigen for four months.[7] Additionally, Lochte was required to complete 20 hours of community service, and Bentz was required to complete 10 hours.[7] All were made ineligible for financial support during their suspensions, removed from the U.S. Olympic delegation to the White House, barred from U.S. Olympic training centers, and blocked from attending USA Swimming's year-end Golden Goggles celebration.[7]
Lochte was charged in Brazil with falsely reporting a crime. The scandal gained significant media attention both during the games and after their conclusion.[8] In July 2017, the court in Brazil dismissed the charges against Lochte, saying his actions "did not rise to the level of filing a false crime report."[9]
- ^ Alex Butler (August 20, 2016). "#LochteGate: Gunnar Bentz gives statement, says Ryan Lochte damaged gas station". UPI.com. UPI. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ Scott Eric Kaufman (August 20, 2016). "#LochteGate explained: Everything we know about U.S. Olympic swimmers alleged robbery, so far". Salon. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ Cady Lang (August 19, 2016). "These Are the Best Memes of the 2016 Rio Olympics". Time.com. Time. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ "Billy Bush on Lochtegate: I played 'devil's advocate' to Al Roker in debate". Today.com. Today. August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ "#Lochtegate". MSNBC.com. NBC. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ Flood, Brian (30 August 2016). "Ryan Lochte Says Alleged Rio Bathroom Vandalism 'Never Happened' (Video)". Yahoo. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Ryan Lochte suspended 10 months by United States Olympic Committee, USA Swimming". ESPN. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
- ^ Cassandra Garrison; Caroline Stauffer (August 19, 2016). "Two U.S. swimmers land in Miami after Olympic Committee apology". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
- ^ Ryan Lochte: Court dismisses robbery claim charges against US swimmer. BBC News, 16 July 2017. Accessed 26 July 2017.