Rio Scandals: Is It Ready, Will The Place Kill You & More!

[Nidratime]

So, what happens to James Feigen who is being indicted in Brazil, I assume -- as opposed to Ryan Lochte. The two other swimmers are apparently making their way home. So, does Feigen get to be the "lucky" guy who takes the fall for them all?

[KenyaJ]

Statement from the USOC:

[windsprints]

Feigen is standing by the robbery claims.  US Weekly has photos of the bathroom.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ryan-lochte-gas-station-incident-inside-the-scene-of-the-alleged-robbery-w435279

LOL if that poster is the major damage.

Edited August 19, 2016 by windsprints

[Kromm]

Just now, Nidratime said:

So, what happens to James Feigen who is being indicted in Brazil, I assume -- as opposed to Ryan Lochte. The two other swimmers are apparently making their way home. So, does Feigen get to be the "lucky" guy who takes the fall for them all?

It all sounded weird before, but now that we've heard a LITTLE more about what happened, perhaps we can make some educated guesses.

Just because all four guys were there at that gas station doesn't mean they all did the same things. If there was vandalism, for example, that doesn't mean some of them didn't simply stand there drunk, watching, while others bashed things.

Now admittedly the biggest part of this story seemed to be about lying to the Police, but even there we've heard that part of the reason the Police started to question all of this was because their stories differed. So perhaps the Police are distinguishing between the ones who only fibbed a little and those who fibbed a lot. 

Also, Lochte isn't IN Brazil. Perhaps they are simply waiting to file bigger charges in hopes that they can put public pressure on him enough to come back and face the music. 

[KenyaJ]

6 minutes ago, Nidratime said:

So, what happens to James Feigen who is being indicted in Brazil, I assume -- as opposed to Ryan Lochte. The two other swimmers are apparently making their way home. So, does Feigen get to be the "lucky" guy who takes the fall for them all?

According to NBC: 

[SnideAsides]

10 hours ago, mtlchick said:

So if all this is true, what happens to the other swimmers? Can the USOC and FINA impose sanctions on them?  Lotche didn't seem like a huge get for endorsements before Rio but he certainly won't be now.  (And he would have been a prime candidate for an E! reality show but been there done that.)

I believe so. The most similar precedent we have in the past is Dawn Fraser getting arrested without charge for stealing a flag during the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 (Emperor Hirohito not only pardoned her, he gave her the flag as a souvenir), and in that case she was banned from competitive swimming for ten years.

[biakbiak]

Yeah ABC who originally reported they have been indicted backed away from it and stated that the police just recommended it.

[Nidratime]

This just, more and more, makes me thing that they should pick a place for the Olympics to be held every four years and stick with it. No more shopping it around, including trying to make it all egalitarian by having the games possibly in countries which shouldn't have it in terms of finances, let alone infrastructure or socio/economic inabilities to handle it.

[FilmTVGeek80]

36 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

I do think the security guard pulling a gun on the four drunken idiots was unwarranted.  He was not "outnumbered" because the video showed that there were at least two gas station attendants who were also there.  I don't know how much money they paid, but who's to say that the gas station owner got all the money?  Maybe the security guard got his cut.

 

It doesn't really matter if he was outnumbered or not, at least not IMO. It's his job to the guard the place and he was confronted with four drunken morons COMMITTING A CRIME. He's supposed to just let them walk because he's not outnumbered and it's impolite to point a gun at criminals?

And I'm not sure what point you're trying to make asking if the guard got a cut. I'm not sure why you'd make that assumption or why it would even be relevant unless you're insinuating the guard robbed the gas station attendants for his cut. Otherwise, IMO, it doesn't matter if he got a cut of the money or not. He's not the one who committed a crime.

25 minutes ago, Dots And Stripes said:

I disagree. Whether you can use a gun to defend your business will likely defend on the state. There are also a lot of limits on the ability of businesses to detain suspected shop lifters, etc. because of things like false imprisonment. I know of businesses who use off duty cops as security guards because otherwise the security guards are so constrained.

Also, I would question the voluntariness of handing over money where a gun is involved. Pulling a gun on someone is textbook duress. 

I noticed some interesting wiggle room in what I read from the press conference this afternoon. They said the swimmers were not truthful, but they weren't completely backing the gas station either. No one is perfect and even victims make errors. I'm still waiting for more facts to figure out who did what. Lochte et al were likely behaving badly, but that doesn't give the gas station the right to do absolutely anything and everything to stop them.

 

I never meant that that's the way it works within all of the US, but I'd guess that in most places if you're being robbed, or your place is being vandalized, defending yourself with a gun is not something that is going to get you arrested.

So far, from The New York Times article I read about this, the two who were pulled from their plane and detained not only admitted the robbery accusation was false, but they corroborated the security guard's account of what happened. I think if they had been forced at gunpoint to make a payment, they'd have mentioned that. So far what I've heard is the four idiots vandalised the gas station. The security guard pointed the gun to keep them from leaving. At some point, a translator got involved and it was decided to let them leave once they paid for the damages they'd made. Being "forced" to pay for your criminal action is not being robbed. Honestly, the gas station attendant should have just made them stay until the cops got there and this whole situation would have been avoided. But, again, they decided to let them leave. That would have been the end of it, except Lochte couldn't keep his mouth shut. So IMO this all starts with Lochte (and the other three) not only for committing the CRIME in the first place but for not letting sleeping dogs lie and creating this stupid robbery story that created this shitstorm.

The gas station didn't do "everything and anything" to stop them. They weren't beaten. They weren't tortured. They committed a crime and then paid restitution for what they did.

It's kind of flabbergasting to me that Lochte and his moron crew are still somehow being treated like they're the victims here. 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

3 hours ago, Kromm said:

Lochte and the others should spend a few months in a Brazilian jail, I agree.  

That seems like overkill. 

[Dots And Stripes]

4 minutes ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

It doesn't really matter if he was outnumbered or not, at least not IMO. It's his job to the guard the place and he was confronted with four drunken morons COMMITTING A CRIME. He's supposed to just let them walk because he's not outnumbered and it's impolite to point a gun at criminals?

Yes, you absolutely are supposed to let them commit a crime rather than committing a crime yourself. Security guards that are not cops do not have the same authority as cops.

There is a difference between how you can protect your personal property and other property. The rules would be different if these drunk swimmers showed up at some guys house. Also a different story if the swimmers physically threatened anyone. 

I'm still waiting for the dust to settle. TMZ's story that the only damage was to a sign is interesting, but I'm skeptical as TMZ tends to promote the interest of one side. I agree with everyone who says Lochte should have kept quiet in the first place. His story was self-serving and clearly not an accurate picture of what happened. What did happen is still not clear though.

[FilmTVGeek80]

3 minutes ago, Dots And Stripes said:

Yes, you absolutely are supposed to let them commit a crime rather than committing a crime yourself. Security guards that are not cops do not have the same authority as cops.

 

Apparently, in Brazil it's not a crime since I've heard nothing about the security guards breaking the law or being arrested.

[Noreaster]

Here's a New York Times article with a decent amount of detail:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/19/sports/olympics/police-say-ryan-lochte-lied-about-gunpoint-assault.html?rref=collection%2Fnewseventcollection%2Frio-olympics-2016&action=click&contentCollection=olympics&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection

[SnideAsides]

2 hours ago, dcalley said:

Speculation, both the "to explain where the money went" part (especially that one) and, frankly, that he lied to his mother. We don't know.

(bold mine) The murder rate for Rio itself is better than the city where I live in the USA. Lots of other cities in Brazil have rates that are chart-toppers, though, and maybe some of them border Rio, I don't know. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rate

The closest city to Rio on that list is Campos dos Goytacazes, which is 286 kilometres/178 miles away at the far end of Rio de Janeiro state. And then there's only one city (Vitoria, another 200-ish miles farther away) in any of the neighbouring states. Almost all of the cities listed there are clustered around the north-eastern corner of the country, while Rio and Sao Paulo are both basically along the southern coastline.

[OSM Mom]

I find it pathetic that this whole mess was possibly caused by a 32 year old man lying to his mommy about where his money went.  Pathetic or laughable.  I'm not sure which.  And what a bunch of morons.  The four stooges. 

[Raachel2008]

24 minutes ago, OSM Mom said:

caused by a 32 year old man lying to his mommy about where his money went.  Pathetic or laughable.  I'm not sure which.  

Who says it was about the money? I'm more inclined to think that it was about leaving the girlfriend at the hotel, partying with the others, and arriving at the Olympic Village very late.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Raachel2008

[tenativelyyours]

So Lochte scampers away as fast as he can.  If NBC has such a hard-on for the story they should demote his attention seeking ass to MSNBC and have Lyin'Brian Williams do the interview.

[BitterApple]

8 minutes ago, tenativelyyours said:

So Lochte scampers away as fast as he can.  If NBC has such a hard-on for the story they should demote his attention seeking ass to MSNBC and have Lyin'Brian Williams do the interview.

Haven't you heard? Brian Williams was there. ;)

[tenativelyyours]

Of course he was.  But since this is a breaking story I expect Lyin' Brian to hop the next plane and go to where the real news is happening!  Making sure he has his Sirius playing to keep up to date dontcha know!

[tanyak]

This story from the younger guys' attorney makes the most sense out of everything I've ready. 

Edited August 19, 2016 by tanyak

[Raachel2008]

13 minutes ago, tanyak said:

This story from the younger guys' attorney makes the most sense out of everything I've ready. 

“They knew it was a lie. But they did not have to go public,” Riera said. “They thought this would be forgotten. They did not think it would have a more serious consequence.” - So, it has been proved, stupidity IS contagious.

[dcalley]

1 hour ago, SnideAsides said:

The closest city to Rio on that list is Campos dos Goytacazes, which is 286 kilometres/178 miles away at the far end of Rio de Janeiro state. And then there's only one city (Vitoria, another 200-ish miles farther away) in any of the neighbouring states. Almost all of the cities listed there are clustered around the north-eastern corner of the country, while Rio and Sao Paulo are both basically along the southern coastline.

Thank you! I was too lazy to map them out.

[evilmindatwork]

The most rational response to this mess: 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/ryan-lochte-a-champion-swimmer-caught-in-a-riptide-of-self-absorption/2016/08/18/673d9bdc-6540-11e6-96c0-37533479f3f5_story.html?postshare=8221471564238645&tid=ss_fb

[Kromm]

1 hour ago, evilmindatwork said:

The most rational response to this mess: 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/ryan-lochte-a-champion-swimmer-caught-in-a-riptide-of-self-absorption/2016/08/18/673d9bdc-6540-11e6-96c0-37533479f3f5_story.html?postshare=8221471564238645&tid=ss_fb

Hee.

Quote

Ryan Lochte is the dumbest bell that ever rang.

[galaxygirl76]

Feigen has been told to pay over 10 grand, which will be donated to charity and Brazil considers it done according to Dutch media.  

[Nidratime]

9 hours ago, azshadowwalker said:

Countries that shouldn't have them? Wow. Lying Americans mean that only good, Northern Hemisphere countries should have the Olympics. If that isn't code for something, I don't know what is. 

I don't know if you're referencing my comment above or not. But, having the Olympics in one place every four years -- such as Greece, where it originated -- has been under discussion in the press for a number of reasons, such as defraying the costs of constantly moving them around, building unnecessary facilities, and avoiding the scandals that consistently arise regarding payoffs to get the games in one place or another and it has nothing to do with "lying Americans."

ETA: By the way, I would've put Sochi in the category of a place that shouldn't have had the Olympics and they are in the Northern Hemisphere.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Nidratime

[Kromm]

48 minutes ago, galaxygirl76 said:

Feigen has been told to pay over 10 grand, which will be donated to charity and Brazil considers it done according to Dutch media.  

Since the guy is relatively small potatoes compared to some American athletes, and probably hasn't had as many endorsement deals, that's probably a significant chunk of change for him. And it's not like he's going to be getting any new ones now. 

[OSM Mom]

8 hours ago, Raachel2008 said:

Who says it was about the money? I'm more inclined to think that it was about leaving the girlfriend at the hotel, partying with the others, and arriving at the Olympic Village very late.

I haven't heard anything about his girlfriend even being in Rio.   Well, maybe it's that too.  Either way, they were all stupid to do what they did and then lie about it.  

[OSM Mom]

[tanyak]

Welp, I guess with Feigen paying up, that likely ends it. I also guess we can safely assume these four fools won't be partying together anymore. I don't know if when or if the team needs to get together again (Aren't there some Golden Goggle awards or something?), but whenever it is, things will be a wee awwwwk-ward. 

[proserpina65]

There goes Ryan Lochte's chance of carrying the flag at the Closing Ceremonies.

[proserpina65]

14 hours ago, GinnyMars said:

You don't get it, this is actually a condition to become a host city!

Tokyo needs to start working on that.

[A.Ham]

Shame they can't get to Ryan and make him pay too... freaking moron.

[proserpina65]

13 hours ago, againstthewind said:

HE IS PHYSICALLY GORGEOUS.

He doesn't appeal to me but I won't judge you for thinking he's hot.  He is dumber than the proverbial box of rocks, though, I had no idea that it was possible to be so dumb and still be able to function in life.

[proserpina65]

11 hours ago, CouchTater said:

Aquarian1, if you're responding to my comment re:  George Zimmerman:  in my book, acquittal = acceptable.  He's still on the streets, continuing to wreak havoc.

Acquittal does not equal acceptable; it simply equals "prosecution could not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt".  See also Simpson, OJ.

But that is off-topic, so here is my on-topic opinion: no one in the Lochte situation has come off well, but he certainly has seemed like an idiot of astronomical proportions.

[mtlchick]

13 hours ago, galax-arena said:

Sorry, but I judge anybody who ever found him hot. 

 

 

 

 

(No, I'm not serious about judging people, at least in anything more than a tongue-in-cheek way. But c'mon... him???)

 

He is one of those "really hot guys until his opens his mouth."  In his case, opening his mouth to show a really HIDEOUS grill on his teeth in 2012.  Then following that up when he tried to make #jeah a thing.  Meanwhile my Summer Olympic BF Adam van Koeverden is hot, opens his mouth and...gets even hotter.  Especially with his writing.

 

Topic: while it is nice that the USOC is apologizing, they shouldn't have to. It's the 4 bozos involved that need to do it.  And Lochte REALLY needs to own up to his part instead of posting "tee hee!" Instagram posts while back on US soil.  It's not like the USOC or FINA can do much unless he tries to go for the Tokyo games.  Overall, a major black eye towards the American committee. 

[Ohwell]

I'm not going to call him "Lyin' Lochte," because I don't believe that he and the others were lying.  They did have a gun pointed at them and in their minds they could have thought of the payoff as robbery.  They just didn't tell the whole story, and how their stupid actions got this mess started in the first place.  My biggest issue with Lochte is that he hightailed it out of Brazil and left his bros hanging to deal with the Brazilian authorities.  As far as I'm concerned, this whole story was much ado about very little.  

[windsprints]

Here's the Feigen story from NBC News.

Quote

Since the guy is relatively small potatoes compared to some American athletes, and probably hasn't had as many endorsement deals, that's probably a significant chunk of change for him. And it's not like he's going to be getting any new ones now.

I would hope Lochte would at least have the decency to pay him back. He's a millionaire, he's the one who spouted off in the first place and he fled leaving them there to face the charges.

Looks like the Olympics have moved onto the next scandal: Kyrgyz Weightlifter Stripped of Bronze Medal in Doping Case

[kimaken]

2 hours ago, galaxygirl76 said:

Feigen has been told to pay over 10 grand, which will be donated to charity and Brazil considers it done according to Dutch media.  

I wonder why he had to pay almost $11,000 in order to get his passport back? Sounds like extortion to me.

[tanyak]

3 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

I'm not going to call him "Lyin' Lochte," because I don't believe that he and the others were lying.  They did have a gun pointed at them and in their minds they could have thought of the payoff as robbery.  They just didn't tell the whole story, and how their stupid actions got this mess started in the first place.  My biggest issue with Lochte is that he hightailed it out of Brazil and left his bros hanging to deal with the Brazilian authorities.  As far as I'm concerned, this whole story was much ado about very little.  

Well, yeah. But it's kind of the same thing. They--and really it was Lochte and Feigen--left out a major part of the story. On purpose. Several times. What do you call it--a lie by omission? Clearly, they were trying to garner sympathy while conveniently leaving out their part in the whole mess. Just like my 6.5-year-old does. 

I actually really like Ryan, but I can't really cut him any slack on this. He knew what he was doing, and that really sucks. 

[FrenchCheese]

32 minutes ago, kimaken said:

I wonder why he had to pay almost $11,000 in order to get his passport back? Sounds like extortion to me.

It is called a fine. It is not extortion. Again false report to the police is illegal in lots of countries (not just corrupted Brazil). And again when a tourist or a foreigner has to pay a fine it is customary to retain the passport as the tourist is clearly a flea risk. Nothing out of the ordinary in any country in the world. Brazilian authorities are not at fault here. It is not extortion. It is a State trying to make sure the law apply to everyone in the country. It is not the same as a person keeping your passport and bribing you to give it back to you. A person and the State are 2 different things that nobody should confused. Also I am pretty sure someone from USA Embassy was with them at all times. They were never in danger to disappear in some weird Brazilian jails. 

In addition if in fact they were looking for extorsion they will not make a public statement about it. 

The whole thing is a mess and it could have been avoid. If only Ryan Lochte did not give an interview to NBC with details of the "robbery", it would probably still be under the rug and everyone would have been home with their passport.  And to be honest I do think that the four in their drunk state may have think it was a false security guard and thus they were robbed. But I have no explanation for the Lochte interview while sober.

And here comes Lochte apologies: 

Edited August 19, 2016 by FrenchCheese

[izabella]

I thought the other swimmers admitted that there was no robbery.  This was no misunderstanding or "merely" a lie of omission.

[LexieLily]

3 hours ago, galaxygirl76 said:

Feigen has been told to pay over 10 grand, which will be donated to charity and Brazil considers it done according to Dutch media.  

That seems like extortion and it's sketchy as hell to me.

[againstthewind]

2 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

That seems like extortion and it's sketchy as hell to me.

I agree.

[pennben]

Well, if he doesn't want to pay, he's free to stay and fight the charges instead of pay the fine. No doubt this was a negotiated resolution by diplomats from both countries. 

[Ohwell]

45 minutes ago, tanyak said:

Well, yeah. But it's kind of the same thing. They--and really it was Lochte and Feigen--left out a major part of the story. On purpose. Several times. What do you call it--a lie by omission? Clearly, they were trying to garner sympathy while conveniently leaving out their part in the whole mess. Just like my 6.5-year-old does. 

I actually really like Ryan, but I can't really cut him any slack on this. He knew what he was doing, and that really sucks. 

I'm not cutting him any slack; I'm just saying that the "Lyin Lochte" moniker leaves out the whole story.  And even if you insist on calling him a liar, then it should be "Lyin' Lochte and Feigen."  But yeah, alliteration and all.  Sounds catchy.  I get it. 

[windsprints]

23 minutes ago, izabella said:

I thought the other swimmers admitted that there was no robbery.  This was no misunderstanding or "merely" a lie of omission.

As of yesterday Feigen was sticking to the robbery story (I haven't read any statements from him today): http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ryan-lochtes-teammate-jimmy-feigen-we-didnt-lie-about-rio-robbery-w435191

Edited August 19, 2016 by windsprints

[Daisy]

14 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

That seems like extortion and it's sketchy as hell to me.

 

12 minutes ago, againstthewind said:

I agree.

why? as someone explained, he was paying the fines etc that incurred due to lying to the police. other countries have such penalties to procure your passport. I'd think out of everything, he's lucky that all he had to do was pay up. he could be in jail. 

[FormerMod-a1]

Did they actually file a police report?  I thought they went back to Olympic Village, told their robbery story, then it made the news due to Ryan's mom, then the police came to interview them.

[mtlchick]

I applaud Ryan's PR person that wrote his Instagram post since I doubt he managed to write more than maybe 3 sentences in there total.