For instance, Lochte now says the taxi wasn't pulled over by men with a badge, but that they were robbed after stopping at a gas station, NBC reported. Lochte also now says the assailant pointed a gun at him rather than putting it to his head. They also changed their story from several men (4 or 5) with guns to a single robber with a gun.
The robbery was also not reported to the police nor to the United States Olympic Committee, claiming they were too afraid to report it because they thought they would get in trouble. (In trouble for what? One wouldnt get in trouble for simply reporting a robbery unless there was something more involved); the police only became aware of it via media reports after Lochte and his mother (who was not there) gave media interviews which led to them to being officially questioned, but then later changing parts of their stories in subsequent media reports.
And the police have been as yet unable to identify the cab driver and are asking him to come forward. And if I understand correctly, the swimmers have also given conflicting accounts of what time the robbery took place and what time they left the club and what time they arrived back at the Olympic Village - 4 AM vs 7 AM (claiming they were too drunk to remember all the details). And it has been claimed that the surveillance video from the gas station does not show the men having been there anytime on Sunday.
Then there is the video footage of them returning to the Olympic Village after the alleged robbery, looking very relaxed and smiling, joking around and going through security with what appears to be their wallets and cell phones and wrist watches.
Not sure as to why the conflicting accounts but something doesnt seem right about it. Thats not to say they were not robbed but I question as to why and under what circumstances. A drug deal gone wrong or an attempt to pick up a hooker gone wrong?
Not to defend the Rio police or say that Rio isnt a violent and dangerous city where armed robberies are common and some of the police and officials corrupt, but the authorities are likely on good legal grounds to detain them for further questioning and getting the matter cleared up.
If they lied to the police and gave false statements about what actually happened or if they lied and the robbery didnt happen at all, they could find themselves in some deep water (pun intended).
Wow. If they lied, why??? That is stupid.