Pool and Open Water Swimming: Do Not Swallow the Water

[Minneapple]

2 minutes ago, hendersonrocks said:

What a cluster. USA Swimming must be so.effing.pissed this story is taking focus away from their overwhelming success last week.

Just hold another race with Phelps. That will make everyone forget the other swimmers.

[againstthewind]

Well if anyone had any doubt in their mind (me!) it's fair to say Lochte's gotta be done after this.

[Mittengirl]

Not sure why Ryan is taking so much of the blame here.  There were four swimmers involved, three of whom are not named Lochte.  Who is to say any part of what happened (going out partying) was instigated by him, rather than one of the others.  Just because the media has interviewed him, because he is the most famous, rather than the others does not mean they are less involved in whatever happened.

[SiobhanJW]

I have a few friends that are from Brazil and they have said that a situation like the one Lochte and the other swimmers found themselves in is not uncommon. It is very common for Taxi Drivers & Robbers to work together to rob passengers. Police tend to look the other way. They all have said they 100% believe it happened, and that now the government is going to try and make them look guilty. 

[kili]

The others may be forced to say that the crime did not happen in order to be allowed to leave Brazil. Doesn't mean it didn't happen. There was a case in my local press recently where a couple was robbed (in Cuba), reported it, was detained for making a false claim and advised by Canadian officials to admit to the false report so they could get them out of the country. As soon as they were free, they went right back to saying they were robbed. Why would they lie? (money was taken from their hotel safe which is something that can occur anywhere - all such safes have overrides in case people forget the combination or accidentally leave the safe locked). 

The Daily Mail is reporting that a British athlete was robbed last night while out on the town. The team is thinking of banning late night outings and have not released the name of the athlete. 

Given the number of serious crimes that go unsolved in Rio, it is a little odd that they are throwing all this effort at what may or may to be a relatively minor crime (making a false report). 

[proserpina65]

18 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

This is so sweet. Poor Missy Franklin. I wonder what happened to her this Olympics. But everyone says she has handled her disappointment with grace and class. I saw her interview with Bob Costas and she made no excuses, but said she plans to be back in Tokyo. I hope so!

Some athletes really only have one Olympics in them.  Not that they aren't talented, but there are so many factors which go into performance that sometimes just can't be replicated.

[proserpina65]

11 hours ago, jjj said:

Ah, the MSNBC reporter doing the breaking news update said that Brazilian officials have not been able to find the supposed taxi driver whose car was supposedly stopped while the swimmers were riding back to the Village.  And they also showed the video of the swimmers going through security at the Village after the supposed incident.  The judge said they looked unconcerned -- I have no idea what mood they are expressing, except wanting to get through security. 

They totally looked like "let me get the fuck back into that semi-safe building" to me.  Their behavior didn't really express concern, lack of concern or anything else, really.  It's hardly damning.

[againstthewind]

What a disaster: 

‏@mattgutmanABC

#BREAKING Brazil sources: #RyanLochte + 3 swimmers fabricated robbery story. Video shows swimmer "fighting" w/security at gas station @GMA

[Ohwell]

22 minutes ago, againstthewind said:

What a disaster: 

‏@mattgutmanABC

#BREAKING Brazil sources: #RyanLochte + 3 swimmers fabricated robbery story. Video shows swimmer "fighting" w/security at gas station @GMA

Couldn't both things have happened?  The fighting with security at the gas station and they were robbed?  I'm just saying.

[jjj]

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

Couldn't both things have happened?  The fighting with security at the gas station and they were robbed?  I'm just saying.

Except, that was not part of the story they were telling.  I have no idea where the truth is in this.  But it does NOT make Brazil look *more* safe to detain Olympic athletes.  And if the British athlete also was robbed, you bet his identity will not be released, because he then would be detained.  So, in short, the rules are:  don't get robbed (you may well get robbed if you step outside the bubble), and if you complain about being robbed, you will hand over your passport and be a more long-term guest.  These are not great choices. 

[Ohwell]

6 minutes ago, jjj said:

Except, that was not part of the story they were telling.

I don't understand what you mean here.  Who is the "they" you're referring to?  Thanks.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Ohwell

[biakbiak]

USA Swimming is probably pissed that they can't just have Phelps jump into the pool right now!

[blackwing]

The latest story I read is that two of the others have admitted that the story was fabricated.  The four of them tried to use a bathroom at a gas station, and the door was locked.  They tried breaking in and broke the door handle.  A guard came out and they saw his gun.  The gas station owner said they would have to pay for the damage.  It looks like they paid, and I guess to them that means they got "robbed at gunpoint".  If that's what happened, I have no idea why Lochte would say the fake cop held a gun to his forehead and he said he wasn't getting down on the ground.

I also read another report that an Australian swimmer was robbed.  He was taken to an ATM and forced to withdraw cash.  I get that Brazil is pissed that Lochte et al are making the area look unsafe.  But from all reports, it IS unsafe.  There's no reputation smearing when the bad reputation for crime actually exists.

Edit:  found this CNN article which provides even more details, which are a little different than the other story I read.  Not even sure what is the truth anymore.

Edited August 18, 2016 by blackwing

[Athena]

More information about the breaking news story is being discussed in the Rio Scandals thread. Putting that here if you want to know and please be mindful not to be uncivil to other posters or make generalizations when posting. Thanks.

[dcalley]

Bruce Springsteen follows 35 people on Twitter. Katie Ledecky is one of them.

[jjj]

3 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I don't understand what you mean here.  Who is the "they" you're referring to?  Thanks.

I meant the swimmers had not mentioned the gas station story initially -- so that diminishes their credibility.  I said this hours ago, before the recent revelations!

[roamyn]

I posted this in the scandal thread as well:

 

My SIL is from Sao Paolo. She says Rio is the most corrupt government, and she lived 10 years in Chicago.

It's very possible that the swimmers aren't lying.  The police are.  And the conflicting reports are because the guys were drunk.

If the 2 detained swimmers are "cooperating with the police", could it be that they're afraid to be arrested or otherwise detained in a foreign country where people disappear all the time?

But why did the police have to make such a big deal?  Because they know the reputation Rio is getting is not good and they need to 'save face'?

For the record, I can't stand Loche.

[NUguy514]

And I posted this in the scandal thread:

I also thought Lochte was full of shit the entire time, and while Matt Lauer and Bob Costas were giving themselves hernias trying to twist everything to make Lochte still look like the victim, I believed the story even less.

The anti-Rio and anti-Brazil comments have made me very uncomfortable.  I've been to Rio, I've been to the exact part of Rio this club is in, and it is NOT a dangerous part of the city; on the contrary, it's one of the nicest parts of Rio.  Rio is an incredibly beautiful city, and the people are wonderful.  There is plenty of crime, but not in that part of Rio specifically, and I'm glad my spidey senses turned out to be correct on this bullshit.

[evilmindatwork]

I compete agree NUguy. This post is going to be a bit off topic but the tone of the coverage on Brazil and Rio has come off both condescending, and quite frankly, racist. Look, I am the last person to argue that Brazil doesn't have problems with crime, inequality, and poverty, but Rio is a modern and cosmopolitan city. Heck, I live in Chicago in a great neighborhood but read on the daily about institutional corruption and shootings in my own city.  I was also born and raised in the Bay Area which is in the midst of a massive housing crisis. I know these are not quite comparable situations but as the child of first generation immigrants (S. Asia not Latin America), I find the efforts to reduce Brazil down to its worst stereotypes quite disturbing. 

[roamyn]

Well, after the story from the attorney for the 2 young detainees  (Brent? Conger?  Not sure of their names), this morning, I fully believe that it was miscommunicatiotn due to language issues and Lochte blew it out of proportion. 

This makes him a very poor, entitled and jerk of a representative for US athletics and citizens.  He needs to be fined, kicked off the team, and banned from the sport.

But I stand by my SIL's comments and concerns abt the government if Rio and the crime.  If you go just beyond the beaches and outer city, it's poor and crowded.  Kinda like Atlantic City, but on a larger scale.

And there's no denying all the other people - fans, coaches, athletes that have been robbed or assaulted.

[Dots And Stripes]

Rowdy Gaines on Lochte: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/other-sports/article96686507.html

He says Lochte was an idiot and says he should apologize. He also gives some insight into why these athletes get into trouble when they stop training. He doesn't let Lochte off the hook at all for his bad behavior but he does try to give some context.

[jjj]

If anyone is still reading here :-) -- Nathan Adrian got a hero's welcome home, and was surrounded by so many happy teenaged girls!  (All swimmers, I am sure!) 

http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-olympic-swimmer-adrian-receives-triumphal-welcome-home-in-bremerton/