The U.S. Olympic Committee is acknowledging that Ryan Lochte and three teammates did indeed vandalize a gas station bathroom in Rio de Janeiro last weekend, concocting a story about being robbed at gunpoint, and USOC CEO Scott Blackmun has issued a statement of apology on the organization’s website.
In the statement, Blackmun explains the USOC has been working with authorities in Brazil to get to the bottom of the incident, and states: “The behaviour of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members. We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States.”
In the statement, Blackmun also says: “On behalf of the United States Olympic Committee, we apologize to our hosts in Rio and the people of Brazil for this distracting ordeal in the midst of what should rightly be a celebration of excellence.”
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Following the USOC’s statement, swimmer Ryan Lochte took to Instagram to offer an apology, along with a lengthy explanation of why he did what he did.
“I want to apologize for my behaviour last weekend — for not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning and my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating” in the Rio games, he writes.
“It’s traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country — with a language barrier — and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave,” he adds, “but regardless of the behaviour of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that I am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event.”
