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

[jjj]

Perspective from the Washington Post:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/ryan-lochtes-apology-is-clear-he-doesnt-realize-what-he-has-done-wrong/2016/08/19/182e2348-6614-11e6-8b27-bb8ba39497a2_story.html

[Kromm]

8 minutes ago, blackwing said:

What about the Australian swimmer who was forced at gunpoint to withdraw $1000 from an ATM?  Or the reports that a British athlete was mugged?   What is the Brazilian police doing about these incidents?  Are they sending out their teams to canvass the area and interview people and look for video camera footage? Are they going to hold press conferences to update us on all that they are doing to pursue justice?

I think I already know the answer.

They are at least investigating, I'm sure. Because whatever else we might think about what may or may not go on when the world isn't looking... for the next few weeks (remember the Paralympic follow, albeit a slightly budget version) the eyes of the world are there.  But will they call attention to it with press conferences?  I'm thinking not.  Is it even reasonable to expect they would?

[magdalene]

I didn't really know who Lochte was before all of this.  But I certainly will remember him now as an American white male who behaved true to "Ugly American" type while a guest in a foreign country, took advantage of certain troubles his host country faces, got his much younger team mates into a world of trouble and then left them holding the bag. Nice!

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, Silje said:

It seems the right order from the article is "damaged some property, tried to leave because they knew they had messed up, were stopped by the security guards with guns, the gas station employees discussed calling the police, the swimmers didn't want that so they gave them $50 and then they were free to go".

 Thanks.  The article was all over the place but this makes sense.

*really last comment on this subject, lol*

[selkie]

Lochte frequently means well, but just isn't too bright. Still, here's 'The Ugly Ameircan' in Istanbul a few years back:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2012/12/17/ryan-lochte-gave-away-medal-wore-shoes/1774525/

[FilmTVGeek80]

30 minutes ago, blackwing said:

What about the Australian swimmer who was forced at gunpoint to withdraw $1000 from an ATM?  Or the reports that a British athlete was mugged?   What is the Brazilian police doing about these incidents?  Are they sending out their teams to canvass the area and interview people and look for video camera footage? Are they going to hold press conferences to update us on all that they are doing to pursue justice?

I think I already know the answer.

 

I'm guessing that, yes, they are investigating those crimes. Will they hold press conferences about it? No. Partially because, unlike Lochte, none of those other actual victims are going all over TV and talking about their harrowing ordeal. Lochte, or his mother, is the one who turned this into a high-profile incident and the Brazilian authorities returned in kind. 

Is this really so different than what would have happened in the US? Press conferences aren't held for every crime, but they are for the high profile ones - especially those that concern well-known people.

[Kromm]

5 minutes ago, selkie said:

Lochte frequently means well, but just isn't too bright. Still, here's 'The Ugly Ameircan' in Istanbul a few years back:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2012/12/17/ryan-lochte-gave-away-medal-wore-shoes/1774525/

I'm sure his gift of gold plated medals they probably couldn't sell did a lot for those people's everyday lives. 

[galaxygirl76]

wrong thread

Edited August 20, 2016 by galaxygirl76
i'm an idiot

[stealinghome]

1 hour ago, Kromm said:

I think the issue is complicated by the fact that there are so many eyes on it now. I have no idea personally what might normally happen with fees or penalties paid this way there, but it does seem excessive to expect misconduct under this kind of scrutiny.  It just doesn't make sense, right?  The officials involved will in fact cleverly net a nice bit of great P.R. by showing and crowing about where the money is going to the American news outlets (and why shouldn't they?)

Yeah, it seems highly unlikely to me that any of that money would end up anywhere than the designated charity. There are just far too many eyes on the case right now for any of the money to go "missing." The last thing Rio officials want, after debunking Lochte's story, is to then turn around and be caught being corrupt.

[selkie]

22 minutes ago, Kromm said:

I'm sure his gift of gold plated medals they probably couldn't sell did a lot for those people's everyday lives. 

If their families got tickets to a world championships, they were part of Turkey's large and thriving middle class. So why would they need Lochte's help in their everyday lives when dad (and possibly mom too) were most likely white collar professionals? It was nice moment of Lochte with kids growing up in a world very different than his, not a charity case. But if you want charity...

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080717005173/en/Olympic-Swimmer-Takes-Competition----Duchenne-Muscular

Quote

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest non-profit organization in the United States focused on finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), announced today at their annual CONNECT Conference that it will receive a percentage of endorsement earnings from Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte.

“I had a family member with Duchenne, so I’ve seen the impact of this disease firsthand,” said Ryan Lochte, as he prepared to compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. “I am committed to do anything I can to raise awareness and end Duchenne and I’m thrilled to think that this donation will make a difference in the lives of boys with the disease.”

[Shaynaa]

You can give medals to kids, support charity and still be a giant asshole who screws up, lies and doesn't take responsibility for his actions.  You can't negate this.

[selkie]

5 minutes ago, Shaynaa said:

You can give medals to kids, support charity and still be a giant asshole who screws up, lies and doesn't take responsibility for his actions.  You can't negate this.

Nor does the stupidity on a few days negate the good stuff he's done in his life.  No one's all good or all bad- we're all shades of grey including Lochte. 

[Noreaster]

Statement by Gunnar Bentz:

http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/081916aac.html

Quote

Aug. 19, 2016

Statement by University of Georgia Swimmer Gunnar Bentz

"I want to offer a sincere apology to the United States Olympic Committee, USA Swimming, the extraordinary women and men of Team USA, and the University of Georgia. Being a member of the Olympic Swimming Team was an honor and a dream come true. The accomplishments of my teammates were awe-inspiring and I'm so pleased I got to see them up close. I regret this situation has drawn attention away from the Olympics, which have been hosted so incredibly well by Brazil and its citizens.

"While I am anxious to put this matter behind me and rejoin my Georgia teammates in classes, practices and competitions, I feel compelled to stress several key points.

1. I was never a suspect in the case from the beginning (Brazilian law enforcement officials saw me only as a witness).

2. I never made a false statement to anyone at any time.

"I also want to be forthright about the details of what transpired last Sunday. What follows is consistent with the account I gave to the Brazilian authorities when I was interviewed for the first and only time on Thursday in Rio de Janeiro:

"After attending an event with several swimmers from different nations, I left in a taxicab along with U.S. swimmers Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte around 6 a.m. On the way back to the Olympic Village, we pulled into a convenience store to use the restroom. There was no restroom inside, so we foolishly relieved ourselves on the backside of the building behind some bushes. There was a locked door out back and I did not witness anyone breaking it open. I am unsure why, but while we were in that area, Ryan pulled to the ground a framed metal advertisement that was loosely anchored to the brick wall. I then suggested to everyone that we needed to leave the area and we returned to the taxi.

"Two men, whom I believe to have been security guards, then instructed us to exit the vehicle. No guns were drawn during this exchange, but we did see a gun tucked into one of the guard's waistband. As Jimmy and Jack were walking away from the vehicle, the first security guard held up a badge to me and drew his handgun. I yelled to them to come back toward us and they complied. Then the second guard drew his weapon and both guards pointed their guns at us and yelled at us to sit on a nearby sidewalk.

"Again, I cannot speak to his actions, but Ryan stood up and began to yell at the guards. After Jack and I both tugged at him in an attempt to get him to sit back down, Ryan and the security guards had a heated verbal exchange, but no physical contact was made.

"A man that I believe to be a customer approached us and offered to help as he spoke both English and Portuguese. Understandably, we were frightened and confused during this time. Through the interpreter, one of the guards said that we needed to pay them in order to leave. I gave them what I had in my wallet, which was a $20 bill, and Jimmy gave them 100 Reals, which is about $50 in total. They lowered the guns and I used hand gestures to ask if it was okay to leave and they said yes. We walked about a block down the street and hailed another taxi to return to the Village.

"Videos of this situation have been emerging the last several days. However, I am confident that some video angles have not been shown that would further substantiate my account. I also believe some scenes have been skipped over. Additionally, I would like to stress that our original taxi was not pulled over; the only occupants of the taxi were the four of us and the driver; and to my knowledge, there was no damage done to the door or the inside of the restroom.

"I am so thankful for the love and support of my family, my friends and my teammates during this time. Without question, I am taking away a valuable life lesson from this situation. In everything I do, I am representing my family, my country and my school. I will not take that responsibility lightly."

                        -- Gunnar Bentz, Aug. 19, 2016

[briochetwist]

Now THAT is how to issue both a statement and an apology. Well done Gunnar, very, very well done.

Edited August 20, 2016 by briochetwist
Forgot words!

[blackwing]

Very interesting.  So per Gunnar's account, all they did was urinate behind the building and Lochte tore down a sign.  He says nobody broke into the restroom.  So for urinating and taking down a sign (that could have easily been put back up), these security guards demanded money?  I get that it's not cool to publicly urinate, but many men can attest to the fact that most of us have been there.

If Gunnar's account is accurate, this is extremely fishy.  Sounds more like "scared Americans forced to pay armed Brazilians at gunpoint" than "spoiled Americans destroyed gas station and tried to flee".

[twoods]

Poor Gunnar- in the middle of all this hoopla that was caused by Ryan's temper and fibbing. If he didn't make a big deal about the "robbing" no one would have even cared. What pisses me off is that in his Instagram, he stated how traumatized he was about about having a gun pulled on him. However during interviews, he bragged about how "whatever" he was about the situation. What an ass. 

And people are still excusing his disgusting behavior. He blatantly lied, which is no excuse no matter how fishy the situation was. If he told his mom that they had to pay some guards for tearing down the sign she wouldn't have said anything to the media.

Edited August 20, 2016 by twoods

[mtlchick]

At least it seems that 1) Gunnar actually wrote his statement and 2) he's very sincere about what happened and humbled by it.  

[Mittengirl]

My high school history teacher gave us two pieces of advice on our last day of class as seniors- 

"People do stupid things when they are drunk." And 

"Never trouble trouble, lest trouble trouble you." 

He said if those were the only two things he told us that we remember,  it would stand us in good stead.

Obviously nobody told Lochte those things.

[Noreaster]

41 minutes ago, blackwing said:

Very interesting.  So per Gunnar's account, all they did was urinate behind the building and Lochte tore down a sign.  He says nobody broke into the restroom.  So for urinating and taking down a sign (that could have easily been put back up), these security guards demanded money?  I get that it's not cool to publicly urinate, but many men can attest to the fact that most of us have been there.

If Gunnar's account is accurate, this is extremely fishy.  Sounds more like "scared Americans forced to pay armed Brazilians at gunpoint" than "spoiled Americans destroyed gas station and tried to flee".

It could very well be one of those things where both sides think they're right.  The bathroom could have been damaged, not by the swimmers but due to other people before them, and the gas station employees thought that the swimmers did it because of their drunkenness and other inappropriate behavior.  Just throwing it out there, who knows.  

 

18 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

At least it seems that 1) Gunnar actually wrote his statement and 2) he's very sincere about what happened and humbled by it.  

I would be very surprised if Gunnar didn't have lawyers draft it or at the very least look at the statement.  

Edited August 20, 2016 by Noreaster

[Kromm]

1 hour ago, briochetwist said:

Now THAT is how to issue both a statement and an apology. Well done Gunnar, very, very well done.

Agreed.  I believe him.

13 minutes ago, Noreaster said:

I would be very surprised if Gunnar didn't have lawyers draft it or at the very least look at the statement.  

Probably. That said, the way it is written sounds like it was from a verbal account coming from someone's actual mouth, with a minimum of hyperbole. 

[Kromm]

44 minutes ago, twoods said:

Poor Gunnar- in the middle of all this hoopla that was caused by Ryan's temper and fibbing. If he didn't make a big deal about the "robbing" no one would have even cared. What pisses me off is that in his Instagram, he stated how traumatized he was about about having a gun pulled on him. However during interviews, he bragged about how "whatever" he was about the situation. What an ass. 

And people are still excusing his disgusting behavior. He blatantly lied, which is no excuse no matter how fishy the situation was. If he told his mom that they had to pay some guards for tearing down the sign she wouldn't have said anything to the media.

Lets be clear (because you use a lot of "he" and "he's".  You are coming down on Lochte The Liar here and Gunnar is only the first initial reference, yes?

[twoods]

37 minutes ago, Kromm said:

Lets be clear (because you use a lot of "he" and "he's".  You are coming down on Lochte The Liar here and Gunnar is only the first initial reference, yes?

Yeah. Sorry for the confusion. This all started out as Ryan's lie and everyone else got pulled into it. I'm sure in a week or two it will die down like Hope Solo's hateful comments and social media being asshats to Gabby. 

[Sew Sumi]

7 hours ago, Ohwell said:

Question:  Did Lochte & Crew actually admit to vandalizing property at the gas station?   

Yes. Here's an article with quotes from Gunnar Bentz's testimony. He states that Lochte was the one who ripped down the sign and was pretty much the ringleader in this mess. 

http://www.sportingnews.com/athletics/news/us-swimmer-gunnar-bentz-details-ryan-lochte-rio-olympics-gas-station-armed-robbery-claim/4gi23e4v0327zkb2j6iupzz8

[dcalley]

"I am taking away a valuable life lesson from this situation."

Stay away from Ryan Lochte.

(And John Mayer.)

[selkie]

It is probably a good idea to stay away from Lochte in general. He went through several years thinking that MTV's Jackass was a manual on fun things that a person could do in their back yard or cul de sac. and had about three or four years running where he'd end up with a slight injury over the winter because he had Done Something Stupid. 

Oddly up until now, he's been better behaved on a decade plus international trips than he has been in Florida or North Carolina. 

[Sew Sumi]

Shall we now question and make jokes about his "groin injury" at Trials? Those jokes just write themselves. 

[jjj]

Below this thread (on my screen) is a link to "Michael Phelps Speaks Out On Ryan Lochte Drama" -- I'll save you all the click:  ambushed by media outside a Starbucks, Phelps says he did not talk to Lochte since the incident.  And when asked if he thinks it will all work out, said as he climbed into his car holding two drinks, "we have good people taking care of us, hopefully." 

[Kromm]

Well onto the next scandal... and sadly for many of us here... it again involves Americans.

US Men's 4x100m Relay Team Disqualified

Apparently the US has a huge history of being disqualified in this particular event over the years. The Daily Mail talks about it rather gleefully (and kind of viciously) here.

Lots more I am sure in the Track & Field thread.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Kromm

[NUguy514]

FYI, there was an interview on one of my local NPR affiliates this morning with an American reporter who's been living in Brazil for a year or so, and he said the fine imposed on Feigen is actually normal in Brazil's quirky judicial system; there wasn't some example being made of Feigen or anything.

While Bentz's statement at least offers an apology, he didn't actually apologize to the people whose place of business he and his buddies defaced; while those people likely would never see this statement, they are the people to whom he should be apologizing first.  That may not be his fault entirely since he certainly didn't write this statement himself (the correct use of "whom" is a dead giveaway), but he and his lawyer certainly should have thought to include it.  I'm sure his account was honestly told from his perspective, but it's hard for me to believe it's the entire picture when he was still drunk/high (also no mention of that) when the incident occurred.  It's more than the other three have offered, though, that's for sure!

I laughed and laughed when our relay team was DQ'd again, some more.

[katisha]

2 hours ago, Kromm said:

Well onto the next scandal... and sadly for many of us here... it again involves Americans.

US Men's 4x100m Relay Team Disqualified

Apparently the US has a huge history of being disqualified in this particular event over the years. The Daily Mail talks about it rather gleefully (and kind of viciously) here

That Daily Mail article is pathetic. A photo has a caption saying that Team USA HAS medalled since 2004 but the article itself says Team USA HASN'T. 

Meanwhile, 10 Australian Olympic team members have been involved in this little scandal-ette and they really should not have bothered. I only saw one half of that match and that was painful enough!

[Bill1978]

Well if the Aussies athletes wanted to commit another scandal after swimmer Emma's banning and then non-banning from attending the Closing Ceremony for not texting the team manger where she was, then tonight was the night to do it. I imagine our Chef de Mission will be very forgiving since we won our first ever medal in the event she competed in in Sydney. LOL

[Noreaster]

Statement from Jack Conger:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/statement-from-gold-medal-olympic-swimmer-jack-conger-300316139.html

Quote

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from Jack Conger regarding the situation in Rio.

It's good to be back home in the U.S. Participating in the Olympics was a wonderful experience, and I want to express my appreciation to Brazil and to Rio de Janeiro for being wonderful hosts. I also want to express my gratitude for the support I've received from my family and friends, USA Swimming, the US Olympic Committee, and the University of Texas.

Unfortunately, one event has become the focus of attention, and I want to briefly address that event today. First and foremost, I deeply regret the trouble and embarrassment this event has brought to the people of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, and the distraction it has caused from the achievements of my fellow Olympians. Brazil and Rio have staged a great Games, and it was a privilege to be there and to representthe United States of America. I also want to express my regret for its impact on USA Swimming and the USOC.

Let me begin by emphasizing that I have been completely truthful in my statements throughout this unfortunate situation, including the information I provided to US officials before leaving Brazil.  In fact, the Brazilian authorities made clear to me from the very beginning that I was being considered only a witness, not a suspect.

Perhaps it will be helpful to provide a summary of what I believe happened that night:

Early Sunday morning I was with USA swimming teammates celebrating at the French House. Four of us took a taxi back to the Olympic Village, and on the way we pulled into a gas station to use the restroom, but ultimately relieved ourselves outside, for which I apologize. Ryan Lochte removed a poster from a nearby wall, which apparently alerted the gas station employees, leading to our being confronted by two armed security men. Although I cooperated with their requests while there was a heated exchange among others, at one point a weapon was pointed at me. Eventually, a man appeared who was able to translate for us, helping to defuse the situation. We paid some money to compensate them for the torn poster, and returned to the Village in a different taxi.

This has been an unsettling, humbling and frightening experience. It's a reminder that all of us, when we travel and especially when we represent the US in the Olympics, are ambassadors for our country and should be on our best behavior.

Again, I want to express my appreciation to Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, and my apologies. I appreciate the support I have received from my family and friends, as well as the support I've received from my teammates and so many others. Now, I am looking forward to getting back into my normal routine of school and swimming.

 

SOURCE Jack Conger

[blackwing]

So now there's two accounts stating that they urinated behind the building and tore down a poster. For that they got a gun brandished at them and were forced to pay $70?   I've never heard of security guards pulling a gun on someone for urinating in public.  $70 seems excessive to repair a torn poster.

The original statement of either the gas station or the police was that the swimmers broke down the door of the bathroom, broke a mirror and did other damage to the bathroom.  That doesn't appear to have happened.

The bathroom could very well have been damaged earlier by someone else, and the locals tried to pin it on the swimmers.  Or they just made an incorrect assumption.  In any event, I think the gun was probably a bit excessive.

I agree with Conger when he says they should have been better ambassadors.  They were drunk and unruly.  But I think the police have gone a bit too far in trying to paint them as these vandals who destroyed a bathroom.  $11,000 fine for tearing down a poster and reporting to the police that men held them at gunpoint and made them pay them seems far too excessive.

If Bentz and Conger have given an accurate picture of what happened, this seems to me to have been a giant misunderstanding, escalated by the Rio police's desires to protect Rio's reputation.

And of course, no news about catching the perpetrators of the crimes against the Australian and British Olympians.  I was being facetious in my comment above, I highly doubt we hear about any resolution.  Those two are not as known a name as Lochte but they are still Olympians, guests in the country, but I think the police will just sweep it under the rug.

[evilmindatwork]

I am more inclined to believe the accounts of people who weren't drunkenly urinating in public. At least Conger and Bentz's account sound more truthful (from their pov), apologetic, and realistic than Lochte's.

 

A few friends have been tweeting about this and being highly critical of Lochte. Apparently Jack Conger liked their tweets. He must be searching for reactions to this under the hashtag to throw shade at Lochte.

Edited August 20, 2016 by evilmindatwork
writing, grammar

[BlackberryJam]

You'd have to pay me more than $70 bucks to deal with the urine of four grown men on the outside of my house or business. 

And these two have both made statements saying, "This is what I believe," qualifying it by saying they had been drinking.

[Daisy]

25 minutes ago, BlackberryJam said:

You'd have to pay me more than $70 bucks to deal with the urine of four grown men on the outside of my house or business. 

And these two have both made statements saying, "This is what I believe," qualifying it by saying they had been drinking.

Exactly.
 

My grandpa always used to tell my mom (so of course, my mom tells me this all the time) - shun the apperance of evil. If they (and i'm going to go with the "I believe them" angle here), say that all they did was pee outside, and then Lochte decided to pull down a poster, etc, and then, poof: security comes outside, and sees that there was actual damage towards the bathroom inside (which - let's be thankful there were no cameras in there because that's a horse of a different colour), and you've got 4 drunk foreigners acting... well. drunk. 

You assume the worse. 

I'm not perfect - I'd assume the worse too. It doesn't help, (again going by the accounts) that Lochte started getting all riled up and going after them. (and the security people going after Lochte and the other 3 swimmers). They got out of it. The rest of this horrible thing, escalated when they decided to go public with it. Now regardless if it was just Lochte + Mum, or whatever - they lied. And because it's high profiled Americans, it was going to get traction. I don't think Lochte is that stupid not to think that. And then, of course it escalated to what it was. 

I'm not proficient in the law enough to say the fines they had to pay was unfair or not - but i do know fines are expected in this case. I am naive and believe in the goodness of people etc, that the police are working with the those who were actually robbed. and I have to say for me, I don't blame the police for going so hard for this. When we were sensitive about a subject that has a lot of issues, we tend to be more aggressive against the lie - poking that bear, so to speak. So it's bad enough that there are people hurting people who are (high profiled) guests in your country when you're supposed to be on your best behaviour. but then to have people make up a story about it is even worse.  (and in fact, takes away from dealing with the actual crimes committed). With all the media attention I don't think the BPD could have gone. "Well, we're working on it, call us in the morning, we've got other cases first. " with the USOC. 

[selkie]

6 hours ago, katisha said:

Meanwhile, 10 Australian Olympic team members have been involved in this little scandal-ette and they really should not have bothered. I only saw one half of that match and that was painful enough!

So $3,000+ (USD) per athlete for trying to fake their way into the game? You could get courtside Lakers or Knicks tickets for that price.

[greyhorse]

12 hours ago, blackwing said:

Very interesting.  So per Gunnar's account, all they did was urinate behind the building and Lochte tore down a sign.  He says nobody broke into the restroom.  So for urinating and taking down a sign (that could have easily been put back up), these security guards demanded money?  I get that it's not cool to publicly urinate, but many men can attest to the fact that most of us have been there.

If Gunnar's account is accurate, this is extremely fishy.  Sounds more like "scared Americans forced to pay armed Brazilians at gunpoint" than "spoiled Americans destroyed gas station and tried to flee".

 

2 hours ago, blackwing said:

So now there's two accounts stating that they urinated behind the building and tore down a poster. For that they got a gun brandished at them and were forced to pay $70?   I've never heard of security guards pulling a gun on someone for urinating in public.  $70 seems excessive to repair a torn poster.

The original statement of either the gas station or the police was that the swimmers broke down the door of the bathroom, broke a mirror and did other damage to the bathroom.  That doesn't appear to have happened.

The bathroom could very well have been damaged earlier by someone else, and the locals tried to pin it on the swimmers.  Or they just made an incorrect assumption.  In any event, I think the gun was probably a bit excessive.

I agree with Conger when he says they should have been better ambassadors.  They were drunk and unruly.  But I think the police have gone a bit too far in trying to paint them as these vandals who destroyed a bathroom.  $11,000 fine for tearing down a poster and reporting to the police that men held them at gunpoint and made them pay them seems far too excessive.

If Bentz and Conger have given an accurate picture of what happened, this seems to me to have been a giant misunderstanding, escalated by the Rio police's desires to protect Rio's reputation.

And of course, no news about catching the perpetrators of the crimes against the Australian and British Olympians.  I was being facetious in my comment above, I highly doubt we hear about any resolution.  Those two are not as known a name as Lochte but they are still Olympians, guests in the country, but I think the police will just sweep it under the rug.

Agree.  We have two accounts from seemingly the more credible of the bunch (meaning anyone but Lochte) that they were drunk, urinated outside the building, and tore down a sign/poster.  

No excusing the public urination and the vandalism, but does that really warrant a gun pointed at your head?  The truth likely lies somewhere in between.  I'm a little confused at the video, the first guy's statement says that there is missing video regarding the whole confrontation.  Why isn't more being said about the video surveillance and what it shows?  Wouldn't put it past the Rio police to conveniently leave out the video of the security guards pointing a gun at them.

This wouldn't obviously have become an international incident if Lochte just said, "we got drunk, we urinated on a building when we shouldn't have, I tore down a sign, and some aggressive security guards weren't happy with that and forced us to pay them some money by pointing a gun at our heads."  

Waiting for a statement by Lochte but not sure if we'll see one.

[KenyaJ]

Welp, there you go. 

Also, at least Ryan still has Billy in his corner! I'm glad Al was having none of his bullshit.

[Daisy]

LOL Al...

[BlackberryJam]

Look, I think it's clear that in the heat of the moment, the security guards over-reacted. But their actions are so much more understandable than those of TeamUrine. The swimmers entered they gas station. They peed on the wall. Lochte tore down a sign. They are the aggressors in this situation.

Once the testosterone started pumping, sure the guards probably didn't need their guns, but again, four enormous drunk non-Portuguese speaking, disrespectful men in someone's place of business. The guards' reactions were not so horrific as to counter, or in anyway justify or excuse, the behavior of these grown men. 

Edited August 20, 2016 by BlackberryJam
punctuation is good.

[windsprints]

Well I was wrong. I thought the interviews would start immediately after the Olympics. Guess they thought they should get the earliest jump on the redemption tour.

Bentz and Conger's statements were well done. Conger's even sounds like he could have written it.  I do feel bad for him if a gun was pointed at him when Lochte was the one arguing with the guards.  I believe him that it was scary.

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Waiting for a statement by Lochte but not sure if we'll see one.

He posted one yesterday on Instagram. Someone posted it here if you scroll back.

Edited August 20, 2016 by windsprints

[GinnyMars]

There's so much fun stuff going on at those Olympics, I'm gonna go off-topic for a minute and recommend an actual sports event to you guys: the riding portion of the men's pentathlon, which will start in a little over an hour, at 3:30 pm Rio-time. From Reddit:

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In this event the pentathletes get randomly assigned a local, somewhat trained, horse and then have to clear a horse jumping parcours.

If, after watching two weeks of athletic excellence, you need something to make you feel 'I probably wouldn't do much worse than this', this is it.

 

The women's event yesterday was a lot of fun. They start with the lowest ranked athlete and end with the best. I leave it up to you which part you decide to watch! O:-)

Edited August 20, 2016 by GinnyMars

[kokapetl]

1 hour ago, selkie said:

So $3,000+ (USD) per athlete for trying to fake their way into the game? You could get courtside Lakers or Knicks tickets for that price.

Interesting that they weren't charged with trespassing or something. I suspect there was no complaint from Olympic officials. 

The speed at which large sums of money can make Brazilian law enforcement disappear is rather fishy. 

And I could barely believe it when I heard the prosecutor wanted Feigen fined approximately $50,000. 

[azshadowwalker]

There were pictures shown inside the bathroom by NBC and their reporters were allowed in. The damage was to the soap dispenser and the sink. But I will buy the bourgie boys' lawyer-crafted statements because....reasons. 

I absolutely hate excuses made for drunks. But...reasons. 

Boys will be boys, and Brazilians are all lying thieves. Unlike good drunk Americans and our wonderful legal system. Because...reasons. 

[evilmindatwork]

10 minutes ago, azshadowwalker said:

There were pictures shown inside the bathroom by NBC and their reporters were allowed in. The damage was to the soap dispenser and the sink. But I will buy the bourgie boys' lawyer-crafted statements because....reasons. 

I absolutely hate excuses made for drunks. But...reasons. 

Boys will be boys, and Brazilians are all lying thieves. Unlike good drunk Americans and our wonderful legal system. Because...reasons. 

For real. Why is being taken as absolute truth? We know they were drunk, and they were also probably high/stoned/ tripping.  Despite my tone during this conversation, I don't think the swimmers are the most evil people ever, but while I am sure there are elements of truth in Conger and Bentz's statements, I also don't take them for absolute truth. It's THEIR story, the gas station employees have their side too I am sure. 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

2 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

You'd have to pay me more than $70 bucks to deal with the urine of four grown men on the outside of my house or business. 

Good thing you don't live in SF. ;) 

[MVFrostsMyPie]

29 minutes ago, evilmindatwork said:

For real. Why is being taken as absolute truth? We know they were drunk, and they were also probably high/stoned/ tripping.  

Well that's a big assumption. 

[Ohwell]

All I have to say about this Olympics is:  Thank you, Usain Bolt!

[windsprints]

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Why is being taken as absolute truth? We know they were drunk, and they were also probably high/stoned/ tripping. 

Tripping? Did they smuggle the LSD in through customs or did they wander the streets until they found someone to sell it to them? 

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 Despite my tone during this conversation, I don't think the swimmers are the most evil people ever, but while I am sure there are elements of truth in Conger and Bentz's statements, I also don't take them for absolute truth. It's THEIR story, the gas station employees have their side too I am sure. 

I believe their version for a few reasons:

A) the security guards allowed them to leave after they paid approximately $70.  If the place was trashed why wouldn't they wait for the police? Surely the owners could have pressed some kind of charges to get the money they were due for the damage. Or at least try to; no attempt appears to have been made.

B) Feigen's $11K penalty/donation was for falsely reporting being robbed. If the group did a lot of damage to the gas station they why did the police not include damage restitution for the owners of the gas station?

C) From the US article (links to ABC News as the source)

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A Brazilian police source told ABC News on Thursday, August 18, that “one of the swimmers was seen on CCTV footage breaking down the door to the bathroom at the gas station and fighting with a security guard.”

Where the CCTV video of them breaking down the door? Video would easily prove they were the people that broke the door down so why not release it? They released the other CCTV video (well minus 3 missing minutes) from the gas station. It would remove any doubt and probably/should have allowed the gas station to request the police get restitution while negotiating with the swimmers.

Yes, their actions were horrible.  However, Brazilian police never officially charged them with any crime. The $70 was paid & accepted to cover the damage and the donation made for falsely stating they were robbed (as directed by the legal system). What was not done to have the punishment fit the crime? Upthread someone posted that the fine/donation was in line and I saw no references here to more severe punishment being given to others (ie sober non-Americans) for the same crime.  I'm not sure what people (in general, not specifically this forum) thought would happen/wanted to happen but its not like they would be tossed in a Brazilian jail for a year or did people actually expect that?

Edited August 20, 2016 by windsprints