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Lochte Likley To Face Punishment From USOC, USA Swimming After Rio Incident

USOC CEO Scott Blackmun yesterday said that "'further action' will be coming, perhaps soon," against U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte and three teammates after their story of an armed robbery "unraveled and led to Lochte acknowledging he embellished the tale," according to Tim Reynolds of the AP. Blackmun "stopped short of suggesting what any discipline might be, including whether Lochte should ever be allowed to swim for his country again." He said, "We all understand that they let down our athletes. They let down Americans. And they really let down our hosts in Rio who did such a wonderful job, and we feel very badly about that." USOC Chair Larry Probst said that the scandal "overshadowed some successes." Probst: "It's really disappointing that this took place, completely inappropriate. ... It has overshadowed some really amazing performances by a lot of great athletes" (AP, 8/21). In N.Y., Dillon & Schapiro reported the four swimmers will "be the focus" of an IOC disciplinary commission. The commission will "have the power to issue sanctions" on Lochte, Jimmy Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, though the IOC "declined to say what type of discipline the swimmers might face." USA Swimming also is "expected to convene an executive board to discuss possible punishment -- such as suspensions from competitive swimming back home" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/21). In DC, Kelyn Soong noted Blackmun yesterday arrived at a news conference "hoping to answer questions about Team USA's dominance" at the Rio Games, but was instead "met with questions about the incident" involving Lochte. The episode "proved to be a dark mark in what was otherwise a successful Olympics" for the U.S. (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/21).

COMING CLEAN: Lochte in an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer on Saturday noted he is "taking full responsibility" for his actions, saying, "If I didn't over exaggerate the story to what I said when I did it -- when it first happened with Billy Bush and yourself and I told you the full story -- none of this would have happened." He added, "I left details out and that's why I'm in this mess. I left certain things out and I over exaggerated some parts of the story." Lauer asked, "If I were to ask you the same question again right now and say were you robbed on Sunday morning in Rio, how would you answer it?" Lochte replied, "I can't answer that because I don't know if -- because I was intoxicated so all I know is there was a gun pointed at us and we were demanded to give money, whether it was to pay for the damages of the poster, whether it was extortion or whether it was a robbery -- I'm not equipped to tell you that." Lochte also said, "I’m embarrassed -- for myself, my family, especially those guys, USA Swimming, the whole Olympic Games -- everyone watching. It’s just -- I was immature. And I made a stupid mistake" ("Rio Olympics," NBC, 8/20). ESPN's Wayne Drehs said of Lochte's apology, "There were two words in particular people wanted to hear that Ryan Lochte didn't say, and those words are 'I lied.'" The interview is "not something that's going to help him out" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 8/21).

OTHER SWIMMERS SPEAK: Conger and Bentz on Friday issued separate statements detailing their versions of what happened. Conger clarified that he was "not considered a suspect by Brazilian police, only a witness, and said he was 'completely truthful' in all of his statements." He said that Lochte during the gas station incident "removed a poster from a nearby wall, which resulted in the swimmers being confronted by two armed security officers." Conger said that he "cooperated, while 'there was a heated exchange among others' and 'at one point a weapon was pointed at me.'" He said that they "received the help of a man who was able to translate for them, and the swimmers paid some money as compensation for the torn poster and went back to the Olympic village in another taxi" (ESPN.com, 8/20). Bentz said that he "never lied about being robbed" during the incident, that he "never saw anyone break down a bathroom door, and that he, Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte relieved themselves on nearby bushes after a night out." He said that Lochte "tore a sign down from the building," and then the four "returned to their taxi." Bentz said that they were "ordered out of the cab by security guards and ultimately forced, with guns drawn, to sit on a nearby sidewalk." He said that Lochte then "got up and yelled at the guards." Bentz also said that there were "additional video angles that support his account that may not have been released" (ESPN.com, 8/19).

PLAYING JUDGE: NBC's Rowdy Gaines predicted that USA Swimming will "slap Lochte with a suspension of at least six months, and possibly a year for violating its code of conduct" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/20). USA TODAY's Christine Brennan wrote Lochte is "certain to be suspended" by USA Swimming and the USOC. The other three swimmers will also "certainly be suspended as well by both organizations." Brennan: "I don't know why Lochte would ever be allowed back into the sport after lying about being the victim of a robbery. ... Turning yourself into a week-long international incident -- as Lochte and the others did here -- is the last thing the USOC would ever want" (USATODAY.com, 8/19). In Charlotte, Scott Fowler wrote USA Swimming should suspend Lochte "for four years to ensure that he does not compete" in the '20 Tokyo Games. Making his fifth Olympic team "is Lochte’s next big goal in swimming." Given that Lochte has "already stated that he is going to take an extended break from competitive swimming, a punishment of two years or fewer would be no more than a slap on the wrist" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/20).

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