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Post by Really Red on Aug 18, 2016 10:49:59 GMT
I agree. I think the brazilians are trying to save the reputation of the country. However, I think this will cause more damage to their tourism and reputation than if they had just let the story die. Absolutely - it's never great to hear about a robbery, but let's be honest - Brazil is no stranger to robbery - and wandering around at 5 am isn't exactly minimizing your chances - a judge ordering a hold on passports and 2 people being pulled off a plane and unable to leave Brazil - that is WAY more disturbing to me. ITA! With everything awful going on in Brazil, it is THIS on which they want to focus? I'm not saying that if they lied it's not bad, but they're not asking one thing from Brazil! Let them leave the country and go. Make a statement when they're gone that they were liars (true or not), but doing this scary-ass thing is very disturbing. |
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Post by Scrapbrat on Aug 18, 2016 11:10:35 GMT
So the premise is what? Four guys colluded to report a crime that didn't happen to make the host country somehow look worse than it already does? To get their name in the news? To make themselves laughing stocks if the truth came out? As for stories not matching, eye witness/victim testimony is notoriously unreliable. They had been partying and were in shock. Frankly, Lochte has never struck me as overly observant or bright anyway (that might just be his persona). As for the video in which they are returning to the village and not acting like victims or people in fear of their lives, I haven't seen it. But I have seen a near-death adrenaline rush turn into giddiness at being alive and people laughing at what a close call they had. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt for now. I also question why, given all the agencies that supposedly interviewed them, it's this judge that seems to have the biggest issue. What's his angle? Brazil is notoriously rife with crocked cops and judges (and they were supposedly held up by cops) so pardon me for not buying he really is concerned about finding someone to prosecute here. I've heard before that Rio cabbies don't stop, even at lights, because they are likely to get robbed so I have issues with that part of the story as well. I also have concerns about a judge in a foreign country being able to essentially to hold a US citizen hostage on so little evidence. As of right now we only know him as a crime victim not a criminal (and what would the crime be, a false report? Also not worth potentially ruining his life or the shit storm of PR this nightmare could be for all of them). What a way to keep tourists from reporting crimes by making them fear that they will be the ones locked up. This has the makings of a bad movie right here. Frankly, no athletes shouldn have been allowed to leave the village and should've had their own security if doing so. I'm surprised we haven't heard more stories like this to be honest. At this point, even if Lochte and the others were to recant, I'd wonder if they were forced into it by law enforcement, to avoid further issues, or by the USOC and IOC that were so eager to deny it ever happened in the first place. Even if Lochte did make it up, a false report is not worthy of forcibly keeping someone in your country or seizing their passport to me. I hope this judge is as vigilant at tackling the serious crime, corruption, and cartels in Rio as he is at this. I agree with all of this. Also, Lochte said last night (from his home in the U.S.) that he was only interviewed once, that the officer or officers that interviewed him did not seem suspicious of his story in any way, and that he was surprised that he was asked only a few, rather vague questions about the entire incident. He said he was not asked about many specifics at all, and he said he was never told or asked not to leave the country. |
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Post by brina on Aug 18, 2016 11:58:28 GMT
One of the rumors that I read said they concocted the story so Lochte's girlfriend wouldn't find out where he had been or with whom.
I could see it happening that he tells her that they were robbed to deflect questions like, "why were you there? who were you with?" etc. Then when he told the story of being robbed at gunpoint somebody else insists on calling the police. This is just a theory on my part, but might explain things.
As for the rest of the stuff in Brazil - the so-called 'zika-scare' was a creation of the western media. The disease is a minor flu like event, unless you are pregnant. And its now winter in Brazil, i.e. no mosquitos. The risk is higher in the Florida Keys than it is in Rio at the moment. DH and I just got back on Monday. I have one but bite, he has three and he is that person that mosquitos tend to be drawn to and is generally covered in them. We never even opened the zip lock bag that contained the bug spray.
The pool was a screw up, but it was just that, a screw up.
Ticket scandal arrest was an IOC official from Ireland, not a Brazilian.
The booing seems to be cultural - they do boo, we heard a lot of it while there. I am not going to hold them to our standards, any more than i want to be held the cultural norms of others.
There are things the Brazilians can be blamed for, and these games were by no means perfect, but lets not blame them for things that were not in their control.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Aug 18, 2016 13:00:56 GMT
So the premise is what? Four guys colluded to report a crime that didn't happen to make the host country somehow look worse than it already does? To get their name in the news? To make themselves laughing stocks if the truth came out? As for stories not matching, eye witness/victim testimony is notoriously unreliable. They had been partying and were in shock. Frankly, Lochte has never struck me as overly observant or bright anyway (that might just be his persona). As for the video in which they are returning to the village and not acting like victims or people in fear of their lives, I haven't seen it. But I have seen a near-death adrenaline rush turn into giddiness at being alive and people laughing at what a close call they had. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt for now. I also question why, given all the agencies that supposedly interviewed them, it's this judge that seems to have the biggest issue. What's his angle? Brazil is notoriously rife with crocked cops and judges (and they were supposedly held up by cops) so pardon me for not buying he really is concerned about finding someone to prosecute here. I've heard before that Rio cabbies don't stop, even at lights, because they are likely to get robbed so I have issues with that part of the story as well. I also have concerns about a judge in a foreign country being able to essentially to hold a US citizen hostage on so little evidence. As of right now we only know him as a crime victim not a criminal (and what would the crime be, a false report? Also not worth potentially ruining his life or the shit storm of PR this nightmare could be for all of them). What a way to keep tourists from reporting crimes by making them fear that they will be the ones locked up. This has the makings of a bad movie right here. Frankly, no athletes shouldn have been allowed to leave the village and should've had their own security if doing so. I'm surprised we haven't heard more stories like this to be honest. At this point, even if Lochte and the others were to recant, I'd wonder if they were forced into it by law enforcement, to avoid further issues, or by the USOC and IOC that were so eager to deny it ever happened in the first place. Even if Lochte did make it up, a false report is not worthy of forcibly keeping someone in your country or seizing their passport to me. I hope this judge is as vigilant at tackling the serious crime, corruption, and cartels in Rio as he is at this. When you go to a foreign country, you have to follow the laws of that country. Imagine if someone came here and thought they did not have to cooperate with the police because they weren't American. You can't expect things to be like they are in the USA when you are in another country. It is ridiculous to expect that the athletes would not leave Olympic Park. Of course they are going to want to see the country they are competing in. I saw Simone Biles and Aly Raisman interviewed saying they were going to see the sites. I agree the whole thing seems odd, why they would need to lie about being held up? The video I saw did not show wallets but did show cell phones. Cell phones are easily traced so it makes sense to me that if there was a theft they might only want money. Perhaps the boys exaggerated what happened. Apparently Lochte admitted that he originally said that a gun was pointed at his head, and later recanted saying pointed in his direction. It is also reasonable to think the Brazilian police did not realize that this would become an international incident and when they found out that they were leaving the country wanted them to wait until they could get more information, better details. Of course once the media is on it, it became bigger than neccessary. I bet it will turn out to be nothing. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 14:29:37 GMT
I'm more inclined to believe that he told his Mom, as a joke at the time ( like "Yeh Mom I got robbed at gunpoint" making a joke of the reported crime level in Rio ) she shared this with the media and it all got out of control as there was no crime. By then he was too embarrassed to admit that he had taken the p*** at the amount of crime that is usually reported. Mark Adams, a spokesman for the International Olympic Committee, tells the press that the swimmers' account is "absolutely not true".
Then Mr Adams retracts his statement, saying he received incorrect information from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The USOC puts out a statement confirming that the swimmers were robbed.
The swimmers do not report the incident to police or to the USOC, and officers in Rio only get involved after seeing it reported on TV.Link to BBCSo you have to ask why didn't they report this to the Police at the time or at least to the USOC. If they lied to the police when they were eventually questioned then they have obviously committed a crime ( in Brazil) otherwise they wouldn't be investigated " "into the possible false communication of a crime." If it's not a crime to lie and waste police time in reporting a crime that never took place in the US it obviously is a crime in Brazil. He's now also changed his story....the taxi wasn't pulled over, that they were now robbed when the taxi pulled over at a gas station and the gun wasn't pointing directly at his forehead! The whole thing stinks and he and the other three should be ashamed of themselves if this never happened. |
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Post by brina on Aug 18, 2016 14:57:56 GMT
And now there is apparently footage of them at the gas station, trying to break down a door to a locked men's room and fighting with security guards at the gas station. Their behavior is reflecting very poorly on the US. Stupid drunken behavior followed by lying to authorities and the press in a way that attempts to make your host nation look bad.
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Post by bc2ca on Aug 18, 2016 15:02:32 GMT
I'm more inclined to believe that he told his Mom, as a joke at the time ( like "Yeh Mom I got robbed at gunpoint" making a joke of the reported crime level in Rio ) she shared this with the media and it all got out of control as there was no crime. By then he was too embarrassed to admit that he had taken the p*** at the amount of crime that is usually reported. Mark Adams, a spokesman for the International Olympic Committee, tells the press that the swimmers' account is "absolutely not true".
Then Mr Adams retracts his statement, saying he received incorrect information from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The USOC puts out a statement confirming that the swimmers were robbed.
The swimmers do not report the incident to police or to the USOC, and officers in Rio only get involved after seeing it reported on TV.Link to BBCSo you have to ask why didn't they report this to the Police at the time or at least to the USOC. If they lied to the police when they were eventually questioned then they have obviously committed a crime ( in Brazil) otherwise they wouldn't be investigated " "into the possible false communication of a crime." If it's not a crime to lie and waste police time in reporting a crime that never took place in the US it obviously is a crime in Brazil. He's now also changed his story....the taxi wasn't pulled over, that they were now robbed when the taxi pulled over at a gas station and the gun wasn't pointing directly at his forehead!The whole thing stinks and he and the other three should be ashamed of themselves if this never happened. , the investigation has uncovered CCTV showing an altercation at a gas station between one of the swimmers and a security guard after the swimmer broke the bathroom door. SaveSave |
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Post by hop2 on Aug 18, 2016 15:11:38 GMT
One of the rumors that I read said they concocted the story so Lochte's girlfriend wouldn't find out where he had been or with whom. I could see it happening that he tells her that they were robbed to deflect questions like, "why were you there? who were you with?" etc. Then when he told the story of being robbed at gunpoint somebody else insists on calling the police. This is just a theory on my part, but might explain things. l. Because making a deal if coming home drunk in the international media is a great way of keeping your girlfriend in the dark?? Because that's only a way of Clueing her in to ask more questions if you ask me. Starting with why were you coming home drunk at 5am?? |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 15:12:45 GMT
False police reports are also a crime in the US, but it's not something that's often pursued unless there are extenuating circumstances, this situation seems ridiculous. They are leaving/left the country. Don't let them back in, if a punishment is warranted. But pulling them off a plane and seizing passports? That seems an overreaction to me.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 15:14:09 GMT
And now there is apparently footage of them at the gas station, trying to break down a door to a locked men's room and fighting with security guards at the gas station. Their behavior is reflecting very poorly on the US. Stupid drunken behavior followed by lying to authorities and the press in a way that attempts to make your host nation look bad. Yep and the gun was pulled out by the security guard at the gas station after they refused to pay for the damage. He's very lucky that he was in Brazil and that security guard had some level of restraint on the trigger. |
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Post by nicole2112 on Aug 18, 2016 15:14:14 GMT
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Post by bc2ca on Aug 18, 2016 15:16:24 GMT
False police reports are also a crime in the US, but it's not something that's often pursued unless there are extenuating circumstances, this situation seems ridiculous. They are leaving/left the country. Don't let them back in, if a punishment is warranted. But pulling them off a plane and seizing passports? That seems an overreaction to me. Unless they were aware the police were looking for them in regards to another crime (linked above) that they were linked to because of the investigation into their false report. I think there is more to come on this story. SaveSave |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 15:23:13 GMT
False police reports are also a crime in the US, but it's not something that's often pursued unless there are extenuating circumstances, this situation seems ridiculous. They are leaving/left the country. Don't let them back in, if a punishment is warranted. But pulling them off a plane and seizing passports? That seems an overreaction to me. With all due respects because they are not that often pursued in the US doesn't mean that other countries should follow the same action. Crime is high in Brazil and maybe one of the ways to combat that is it to prosecute anyone that makes a false allegation. No if's or buts! It might act as a deterrent so they can use their resources to fight real crime. A crime is a crime whoever it is IMO and the penalty should be the same for everyone. They were not pulled off the plane, they were stopped at the security gate in the reports I've read. |
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Post by brina on Aug 18, 2016 15:26:39 GMT
False police reports are also a crime in the US, but it's not something that's often pursued unless there are extenuating circumstances, this situation seems ridiculous. They are leaving/left the country. Don't let them back in, if a punishment is warranted. But pulling them off a plane and seizing passports? That seems an overreaction to me. Unless they were aware the police were looking for them in regards to another crime (linked above) that they were linked to because of the investigation into their false report. I think there is more to come on this story. SaveSaveand from Brazil's standpoint they were making a point - "you tried to make our country look bad; we have enough problems without pompous Americans making up stories to cover their own asses and telling those stories to the international media." I do not blame with authorities for going after them in this situation. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 15:29:41 GMT
False police reports are also a crime in the US, but it's not something that's often pursued unless there are extenuating circumstances, this situation seems ridiculous. They are leaving/left the country. Don't let them back in, if a punishment is warranted. But pulling them off a plane and seizing passports? That seems an overreaction to me. With all due respects because they are not that often pursued in the US doesn't mean that other countries should follow the same action. Crime is high in Brazil and maybe one of the ways to combat that and to reserve time to combat it to prosecute anyone that makes a false allegation. No if's or buts! It might act as a deterrent so they can use their resources to fight real crime. A crime is a crime whoever it is IMO and the penalty should be the same for everyone. I just don't agree. Devoting the effort to it in this particular situation doesn't make sense. They aren't from the country. Make them leave and don't allow them back. I certainly don't think that should be the same for *all* crimes but in something as low stakes as this, I don't think it's a wise use of their already stretched resources. ETA: This is the main reason that I don't think it should be pursued the way it is For whatever dumbass reason they lied to family/friends, they did NOT initiate a police report; the police came to them. Yeah, they absolutely should have been truthful then but it's not outside the realm of possibility that they don't really know what the truth is, because they were all drunk, so they just stuck with the story more or less. I'm not saying it's right by any means, but it's making a mountain out of a molehill. |
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Post by christine58 on Aug 18, 2016 15:45:45 GMT
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Post by brina on Aug 18, 2016 15:50:58 GMT
For whatever dumbass reason they lied to family/friends, they did NOT initiate a police report; the police came to them. Yeah, they absolutely should have been truthful then but it's not outside the realm of possibility that they don't really know what the truth is, because they were all drunk, so they just stuck with the story more or less. I'm not saying it's right by any means, but it's making a mountain out of a molehill. They may not have contacted the authorities, but Lochte went to the media with the story - he told a reporter on NBC that their taxi was forced off the road and a gun was cocked and held to his forehead. He made his hosts look bad. Yes, there are other things that have happened to make Brazil look bad, but this confirmed in so many people's minds what a horrible place it is. I do not blame the country to clearing their name. |
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Post by pierkiss on Aug 18, 2016 15:51:14 GMT
This story is just so weird.
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Post by bc2ca on Aug 18, 2016 15:54:46 GMT
How the heck do you get "ratted them all out" from the linked story  . SaveSave |
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smginaz Suzy
Pearl Clutcher
Je suis desole.
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Post by smginaz Suzy on Aug 18, 2016 16:05:13 GMT
I'd just like to edit this sentence.
"The two swimmers left in Rio thought it best to tell the truth."
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Post by christine58 on Aug 18, 2016 16:05:53 GMT
How the heck do you get "ratted them all out" from the linked story . SaveSaveThe official said Lochte's teammates Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, who were pulled off a plane going back to the United States late Wednesday, told police that the robbery story had been fabricated. |
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Post by monklady123 on Aug 18, 2016 16:10:03 GMT
How the heck do you get "ratted them all out" from the linked story . SaveSaveI'm not sure I'd use the words "ratted them all out", but it does clearly say right there in the 2nd paragraph that the other two said the "story had been fabricated". eta: oops sorry Christine, I didn't see your reply before I posted mine. SaveSaveSaveSave |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 16:15:18 GMT
For whatever dumbass reason they lied to family/friends, they did NOT initiate a police report; the police came to them. Yeah, they absolutely should have been truthful then but it's not outside the realm of possibility that they don't really know what the truth is, because they were all drunk, so they just stuck with the story more or less. I'm not saying it's right by any means, but it's making a mountain out of a molehill. They might not have initiate the police report and yes the police did go to them but heck they'd accused TWO POLICE OFFICERS of robbing them at gunpoint initially and it was world news!! That alone is hardly making a mountain out of a molehill. Whatever anyone thinks of Brazil, four foreign nationals have publicly stated that their police are armed robbers and it was a total lie.....I'd be pretty pissed at that if the same thing happened here and I have no doubt that you would also if it happened in the US. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 16:26:09 GMT
For whatever dumbass reason they lied to family/friends, they did NOT initiate a police report; the police came to them. Yeah, they absolutely should have been truthful then but it's not outside the realm of possibility that they don't really know what the truth is, because they were all drunk, so they just stuck with the story more or less. I'm not saying it's right by any means, but it's making a mountain out of a molehill. They might not have initiate the police report and yes the police did go to them but heck they'd accused TWO POLICE OFFICERS of robbing them at gunpoint initially and it was world news!! That alone is hardly making a mountain out of a molehill. Whatever anyone thinks of Brazil, four foreign nationals have publicly stated that their police are armed robbers and it was a total lie.....I'd be pretty pissed at that if the same thing happened here and I have no doubt that you would also if it happened in the US. I don't think they said they were *actually* police officers - everything I read said they were impersonating police officers. |
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Post by debmast on Aug 18, 2016 16:34:38 GMT
Can someone post the link to the surveillance video?
I google it but all that comes up are news reporters talking about this video. Cannot find the actual video
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 16:35:57 GMT
They might not have initiate the police report and yes the police did go to them but heck they'd accused TWO POLICE OFFICERS of robbing them at gunpoint initially and it was world news!! That alone is hardly making a mountain out of a molehill. Whatever anyone thinks of Brazil, four foreign nationals have publicly stated that their police are armed robbers and it was a total lie.....I'd be pretty pissed at that if the same thing happened here and I have no doubt that you would also if it happened in the US. I don't think they said they were *actually* police officers - everything I read said they were impersonating police officers. They were shown what Lochte described as a police badge therefore suggesting that there was a possibility that they were. They wouldn't have known whether they were or not so calling them impersonators with hindsight is futile. I doubt that he or the other three are experts at what a Brazilian police badge looks like so why mention that bit unless it was a deliberate move to taint the reputation of the police in Brazil. |
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Post by papersilly on Aug 18, 2016 16:45:22 GMT
i call BS on the story and I think it's really starting to unravel for them.
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Post by missmiss on Aug 18, 2016 17:00:22 GMT
For whatever dumbass reason they lied to family/friends, they did NOT initiate a police report; the police came to them. Yeah, they absolutely should have been truthful then but it's not outside the realm of possibility that they don't really know what the truth is, because they were all drunk, so they just stuck with the story more or less. I'm not saying it's right by any means, but it's making a mountain out of a molehill. They might not have initiate the police report and yes the police did go to them but heck they'd accused TWO POLICE OFFICERS of robbing them at gunpoint initially and it was world news!! That alone is hardly making a mountain out of a molehill. Whatever anyone thinks of Brazil, four foreign nationals have publicly stated that their police are armed robbers and it was a total lie.....I'd be pretty pissed at that if the same thing happened here and I have no doubt that you would also if it happened in the US. Actually in the US cops can take your money legally if you are carrying to much and they think you shouldn't have that much. priceonomics.com/how-police-officers-seize-cash-from-innocent/Now back to this story. They were trashed and I am beliving them when they say they were robbed. How they were robbed no idea and now it sounds like 3 US Swimmers are not allowed to leave Brazil all because of this. Ridiculous. The same country were BODY PARTS washed up on the beach. Of course they can't find the taxi driver or witnesses. BODY PARTS washed up on the beach. Let that sink in when they say they can't find witnesses. Were they robbed? most likely. How it went down could be fabricated a little due to alcohol. |
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peabay
Prolific Pea
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Post by peabay on Aug 18, 2016 17:03:25 GMT
It's over and they look like idiots. Particularly Lochte with his ridiculous "he held a gun to my forehead, well maybe not" story.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Aug 18, 2016 17:14:41 GMT
It is an anonymous source but ESPN is reporting:
A Brazilian police official has told The Associated Press that American swimmer Ryan Lochte fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro.
The official said Lochte's teammates Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, who were pulled off a plane going back to the United States late Wednesday, told police that the robbery story had been fabricated.
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