Oh please, let’s all put on thinking caps here. His friends are being held in a foreign country that won’t let them leave until they “admit” he lied. He’s safe, so they lie as they’re told and get out of that hellhole.
Period.
Bingo. Swimmers ‘fess up with the script handed them, go home to party on. Brazilian pride and 3rd world hellhole government face saved. IOC moves on to the next multi-billion dollar deal.