2) US swimmer Ryan Lochte’s blatant lie about mugging in Rio
Rio was described as a dangerous destination for tourists and athletes alike well before the games due to the gang violence and robberies prevalent in the city’s streets and favelas, not to mention the police force also going on strike. Rio was facing a crisis and half a million visitors flocking to the city at this time only made the government sweat before lending $895 million to guarantee safety in Rio.
However, a media storm erupted when champion US swimmer Ryan Lochte claimed that he and his teammates were robbed in a taxi at gunpoint. But when the authorities investigated, they found several inconsistencies in their stories. CCTV footage also showed that they arrived back at the Olympic Village with their belongings and did not look traumatised by the supposed robbery.
The truth soon came to light when video footage showed the team of US swimmers causing damage to a gas station in Rio and not actually getting robbed in a taxi. A judge soon ordered the swimmers’ passports to be taken and not allowed to leave the country pending an investigation. While Lochte had already left, his teammates were detained.
The 32-year-old swimmer finally admitted that the story was fabricated and posted an apology on his social media pages. The swimmer lost a number of fans as a result and was heavily criticised by the US media as well.
