RIO DE JANEIRO—The mother of Ryan Lochte has told two media outlets that the star swimmer was robbed at gunpoint.
USA Today and Fox Sports Australia both said the 32-year-old Lochte was robbed and had his wallet stolen early Sunday while socializing the night after Olympic swimming events ended. The IOC spokesman denied the claim at first before hedging, acknowledging he didn’t directly know the specifics of the situation.
The U.S. Olympic Committee said it was gathering more information. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the USOC denied the story at first but it looks like that denial “is not correct.”
Lochte’s mother, Ileana Lochte, and his agent did not immediately return phone calls and text messages from The Associated Press.
Rio organizers spokesman Mario Andrada said he has been briefed on an “issue” involving the swimmer, but could not say if he was held at gunpoint.
Lochte swam in two events at the Rio Games, winning gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira’s spokesman, Flávio Perez, told the Washington Post that Lochte was in a taxi leaving Club France when the taxi was robbed.
“Thiago Pereira and his wife Gabriela Pauletti were in Club France, the French house in Brazil, and they were celebrating the birthday of a friend in common,” said Perez. “Lochte was also in the same place, commemorating the same birthday. Ryan and Thiago are friends. Thiago and his wife left earlier, they left alone, the two of them. Thiago and his wife went back to their hotel. Then Thiago, on finding out what happened, called Ryan. Ryan is well, and Thiago said that the robbery, according to Ryan, was in the taxi. The taxi was robbed.”
Epoch Times contributed to this report.
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