Disgraced Rio Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte apologises for robbery lies… with bizarre claim boozing abroad left him ‘traumatised’

DISGRACED Olympian Ryan Lochte has issued a bizarre apology for not being “more careful and candid” after he falsely claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint in Rio.

The shamed swimmer, 32, also said that drinking in a foreign country with friends was “traumatic” in a baffling statement published on his Instagram page.

CCTV footage emerged on Thursday which proved that Lochte, along with fellow Team US members Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, had lied to Brazilian authorities about the incident at a petrol station.

The athletes reportedly destroyed a toilet at the gas stop after a night of drinking last Sunday in Rio.

The US Olympic Committee has slammed the sportsmans’ behaviour  which they said was “not acceptable”.

After Brazilian cops failed in their attempts to detain Lochte, the gold medal winner fled back to the US.

Now after his three teammates were questioned by authorities and allowed to leave Brazil, the swimmer has issued a half-hearted apology on social media.

He said: “I want to apologize for my behavior last weekend — for not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics.”

He added: “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, but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event.”

See more

Lochte’s two disgraced teammates Gunnar Bentz, 20, and Jack Conger, 21, were hit with a torrent of jeers and boos as they departed Rio with their heads hanging in shame.

Bentz and Conger – who both won gold medals in the 4×200 metres freestyle relay – were pulled off a plane to Houston on Wednesday by Brazilian cops but were later cleared to fly home to the US.

These dramatic pictures show the dishonoured duo leaving a police station to an angry crowd with some of the mob reportedly trying to grab at the two athletes.

The final member of the shamed group, Jimmy Feigen, 26, remains in Rio although his lawyer confirmed he has reached a deal with authorities and will donate almost $11,000 in order to leave Brazil.

The US Olympic Committee has issued an apology condemning the four athletes.

USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said: “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.”

Both the USCO and USA have warned that the shamed Olympians will be hit with severe penalties once they return home.

Brazilian authorities had recommended that both Lochte and Feigen be charged for falsely reporting a crime.

And while that offense can carry a three year prison sentence, it is highly unlikely that Lochte will be extradited from the US while has now been allowed to return home.

Yesterday, shocking CCTV footage emerged which proved the hero swimmers had lied to police.

The silver-haired star has been slated as Lyin’ Ryan and accused of insulting his Brazilian hosts as the story began to unravel.

The four Team USA athletes claimed armed robbers dressed as policemen pulled over their taxi and stole their wallets as they returned to the Olympic Village after a night out in Rio.

But police cast doubt on the story after CCTV emerged of Lochte and Feigen returning to the Village much later than they claimed – and Lochte still had his wallet as he passed through security.

Conger and Bentz were stopped from boarding a flight home as the incident risked escalating into a full-on diplomatic row.

Now officials in Rio say the believe the group fabricated the robbery after an embarrassing altercation at a petrol station at 6am on Sunday.

Video from the garage forecourt shows one of the group apparently failing to open a toilet door and aiming a kick to force his way in.

A security guard appeared and confronted them, the official said.

In the footage silver-haired Lochte can clearly be seen with the others as they walk back to their taxi after first trying to get into the wrong vehicle by mistake.

Petrol station staff then stop the taxi leaving and the swimmers are seen holding their hands up.

Officials told the Associated Press the swimmers were confronted by a security guard, who was armed with a pistol but he never took it out or pointed it at the swimmers.

The manager then arrived and asked them to pay for the damage. They handed over an unknown amount of cash before leaving, the official said.

Earlier this week Lochte posted on social media: “I want to thank all my family, friends and fans for the overwhelming support and concern I have received. While it is true that my teammates and I were the victims of a robbery early Sunday morning, what is most important is that we are safe and unharmed.”

He also said: “I wouldn’t make up a story like this nor would the others – as a matter of fact we all feel it makes us look bad.”

Earlier this week CCTV footage emerged in Brazilian media of Feigen and Lochte returning to the village much later than they claimed.

And Lochte’s wallet, which was supposed to have been stolen, was seen passing through the village’s security check. Rio police have also been unable to find the driver of their taxi.

Describing the incident earlier this week, he said: “We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing, just a police badge and they pulled us over.

“They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground. They got down on the ground. I refused, I was like, ‘We didn’t do anything wrong, so I’m not getting down on the ground.’

“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said: ‘Get down,’ and I put my hands up, I was like ‘Whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet. He left my cell phone, he left my credentials.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Rio police tried to stop Feigen and Lochte from leaving Brazil in order to question them further about the disputed robbery.

Sandusky said local police came to the athletes’ village on Wednesday morning to meet the pair and seize their passports but said “we were not able to make the athletes available” as the swimming team moved out of the village when their competition ended last weekend.

Lochte is believed to have already returned to the US.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.