At the gas station, which is in Barra da Tijuca, on the route to the athletes’ village, the swimmers went to the bathroom. In the process, according to the account by investigators, damage was done to the bathroom door and a discussion ensued with the manager and a security guard.ADDED: Security camera footage.
Someone at the gas station called the police, but by the time a police car arrived at the scene, the swimmers were gone. Witnesses, including a person who offered to translate for the swimmers, said that they paid money to the manager before leaving....
“This incident has caused so much damage to Rio’s brand abroad that I think Brazilians deserve a clear, consistent account of what happened,” said Brian Winter, vice president for policy at Americas Society and Council of the Americas.
The entire episode, Winter said, “has tapped into one of Brazilians’ biggest pet peeves — gringos who treat their country like a third-rate spring break destination where you can lie to the cops and get away with it.”
August 18, 2016
"The American swimmers who claimed they were assaulted at gunpoint over the weekend by assailants posing as police officers fabricated their account of the episode..."
"... according to Brazilian investigators...."
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I've heard of rock stars tearing up their hotel room, but this has to be the first time I've ever heard of celebrities tearing up a gas station.
If they do not want Gringos taking vacations in far away Rio, then they need to cancel their famous Festivals and issue warnings to Gringos ... oh yeah, they just did that.
And of course Breitbart ran with the xenophobic angle at first, attacking the Brazilian authorities who questioned the Lochte story:
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/08/16/rio-police-claim-lochte-report-contradicts-athletes/
Now, Breitbart's chairman, who is merely on loan to the Trump campaign, can answer for the awful take on this story fomented by his writers and editors. An embarrassment nearly as bad as the American swimmers'.
traditionalguy,
"If they do not want Gringos taking vacations in far away Rio, then they need to cancel their famous Festivals and issue warnings to Gringos ... oh yeah, they just did that."
Oh, I'm guessing they want Gringos taking vacations in their country, they just don't want them breaking their bathroom doors, throwing stones at their business and tearing signs before urinating in their streets and then lying about a fake robbery (assuming this latest iteration of the story turns out to be true, of course)... I can't imagine there's a whole lot of people that want tourists doing that to their country. Maybe the carpet pisser from The Big Lebowski?
You'd think that guys who spend so much time in swimming pools would be much better at holding their urine.
I hope they throw their asses in jail and fine them 400 million like the Iranians.
Obama will pay that in Euro's...
Chuck is even after Trump in The Great Brazilian Credibility gambit, by finding a story run on a News Aggregating Website that associated with a new Campaign hire.
You have to give Chuck an A for effort. And we have to cut him slack because no operative on Hillary's side would ever dare to defend four strong white men, on principle. The optics alone could get them defrocked.
@Bobby...Have you ever been anywhere close to a Spring Break?
Tell me exactly what part of my post I got wrong, traditional guy. Besides the part where I mistook how much you cared at all. Because the feeling is mutual.
Chuck's constant "Trump, Trump, Trump" is really tiresome. He should give it a rest every now and then if he expects to have credibilty. Just friendly advice.
Heck, yes, come on down to Daytona for that.
-XC
You see, Chuck, Brietbart was simply following the conventional wisdom that all crime victims are honest. Like Hillary defending rape victims until its was pointed out that her husband was a rapist, too.
How's that for spin?
Honestly, Brietbart was doing exactly what the news media does, only they didn't do it in the direction you like.
Now that more of the details are coming out, one has to wonder why they would report a robbery that didn't happen. That part doesn't make sense.
LOL @ brazil thinking detaining people who paid for damages is going to help their reputation.
Up Chuck. Don't get depressed. I actually did agree with you. Scary, isn't it.
traditionalguy,
Oh, I agree that getting drunk and going all Keith Richards on a gas station is not that big a deal, especially since (apparently) they paid the damages. It's so not a big deal that I can't understand why Lochte even fabricated the story about being robbed. My understanding is that he told his mother about the robbery who then told the press, so perhaps he didn't intend to lie to everyone, just to his mom. But why he felt he had to lie to his mom, I don't really know- maybe she used to work at a gas station and he thought she'd take what he did personally? I don't know.
But I wouldn't try and put this on the Brazilians, as you did in your initial post. I don't see how they're in the wrong on this one.
btw; I can easily tell you what you got wrong. The anti-Brazil story on Breitbart was not an "aggregation" story. It was pure Bretbart. Exceptionally Breitbarty Breitbart.
And the Breitbart Chairman really has hung on to his Breitbart job while he does his internship running the Trump campaign, such as it is. So there is a real and direct link.
After this Olympics, their supply of wild, vacationing gringos will probably diminish.
Based on what I read at another site, it sounds like mom started it. Son didn't want to tell mom what happened, so he lied and said he was robbed. Mom told reporters. Thus, international incident.
And defending swimmers is not that easy. Swimmers are a peculiar class of athletes. Their muscles are all wrong on land. And their arms and legs are way too long. But I guess they should have their own Special Olympics in a pool house. But after meets, the swim coaches should not let them run lose outside.
And, alas, the media will be focused on Lochte rather than on the champion, Michael Phelps.
The Trumpists always go after me personally when the Trump story du jour has no other good explanation.
As for frequency, I have learned from Mr. Donald J. Trump that you need to keep up a drumbeat (dumbeat?) of regular, repeated messaging. Like "little Marco," "low energy Jeb," "lyin' Ted" and "crooked Hillary."
“This incident has caused so much damage to Rio’s brand abroad that I think Brazilians deserve a clear, consistent account of what happened,” said Brian Winter, vice president for policy at Americas Society and Council of the Americas."
"The entire episode, Winter said, “has tapped into one of Brazilians’ biggest pet peeves — gringos who treat their country like a third-rate spring break destination where you can lie to the cops and get away with it.”
Rio's brand? LOL It's a shithole. It's has a long way to go to be "third rate."
The Trumpists always go after me personally when the Trump story du jour has no other good explanation.
Nah. They go after you because you're a tool.
This is an instance of telling a story to parents to hide unflattering behavior. Kids do this sometimes. But imagine if Lochte was a woman who claimed sexual assault. No one would have dug deeper into this story.
.
Mark my words: Prostitutes were involved.
American Olympic swimmers are mostly entitled jerks. (Brock Turner, anyone?) One of my long standing life theories is that TV ratings for the Olympics always start of low because of all the damn swimming at the beginning of the Games.
Anthony, FWIW, prostitution is legal in Brazil.
". . . one of Brazilians’ biggest pet peeves — gringos who treat their country like a third-rate spring break destination where you can lie to the cops and get away with it.”
Absolutely - every Brazilian has spent time in Florida partying during spring break and telling lies to the police - or maybe not.
C'mon ! They busted a door at a gas station. Security guard had a gun. They paid too much for door repair.
So, In Brian Williams, Hillary Clinton fashion, they may have misstated the facts, or slightly embellished the tale.
But, there was a man with a gun. They left with less money than when they arrived, taken under duress.
Kid told mom a story to make her proud of him for confronting dangerous situation calmly and courageously.
Not exactly sniper fire, or rockets red glare.
We need a group hug for Chuck. Even the Washington Generals needed to win a game every now and then, and our Chuck has to play against the Trump Tower Trotters' trick shots ever day.
"Psota said...
American Olympic swimmers are mostly entitled jerks. (Brock Turner, anyone?) One of my long standing life theories is that TV ratings for the Olympics always start of low because of all the damn swimming at the beginning of the Games."
Brock Turner wasn't an Olympian. Michael Phelps came from modest beginnings. And name the swimmers that are jerks and why.
I mean, Chuck, come on--there are stretches and then there are stretches, man.
US Olympic athletes behave badly - get in some shots at Trump! That's a stretch.
Easier, by far, would be something like "well it's ok to perjure yourself as long as you cough up some cash and the lie wasn't that important--Bill Clinton taught us that and his wife supported him."
Or even "hey, what's the big deal, their stories changed a little but it's not like anyone minds that--just look at Hillary and all the different reasons she's given for why she set up her own server to conduct official government business (including sending and receiving Top Secret information)--who even cares anymore?"
See? Easy--but a small stretch. To attack Trump using this story as a hook...big stretch. But I get it, you're highly motivated--got to stick up for the Republican brand, etc.
Rio a dump? Yeah- I've been to Rio and I'll never go back. dirty and dangerous. Our cabbie pointed to the west side of the street-just opposite of our hotel that was on the Copacabana beach and said DO NOT GO PAST THIS STREET. Even the 4 star hotel was grimy. Now Curitba, Brazil, was a different story. Beautiful, clean and safe enough to walk around at midnight visiting sidewalk bars by myself.
So, Brazil isn't a third-rate spring break destination where you can lie to the cops and get away with it? Noted.
That being said, the swimmers need to 'fess up and take whatever lumps they have coming.
Hasn't Chuck claimed to be a lawyer? Imagine how his clients feel.
Psota said... [hush][hide comment]
American Olympic swimmers are mostly entitled jerks. (Brock Turner, anyone?) One of my long standing life theories is that TV ratings for the Olympics always start of low because of all the damn swimming at the beginning of the Games.
Brock Turner? Of course ! Drunk guy making out with black-out drunk older girl who passes out while his finger is on her ying yang. Girl remembers absolutely nothing at all about previous night until story is constructed for her by her attorney.
Now Mr. Turner is infamous for brutal rape of unconscious woman he happened upon. And, certainly, let us not forget he penetrated her with a tree branch, right?
Do not feel bad for your ignorance. Fox favorite Judge Napolitano said he would have sentenced Turner to ten years, so you are in good company.
The swimmers were lucky they weren't caught in the act by the cops. Brazilian cops tend to shoot first and ask questions ... never.
For Pete's sake, Brock turner was an All-American swimmer in high school and a member of the Stanford U swim team, a team with a long history of Olympic level swimmers. He is also an entitled jerk, as are Ryan Lochte, et al.
You are right that Michael Phelps' modest background, which is why I threw in that "mostly." But it can be hard to read a story about him without hearing how his modest background contrasts with the more comfortable upbringings of his fellow swimmers.
Is it possible they didn't really know who the guy with the gun was, and why he was making them get on the ground?
Sounds like the moral to this story is going to be, don't lie to your mother, and if your buddy does, don't try to cover for him.
I tried to watch the footage... it went for a long time, and nothing happened, and then reset on me. I don't feel like wasting any more of my time, but it seems like the video doesn't show a damn thing. Am I wrong about that?
Blogger FullMoon said...
C'mon ! They busted a door at a gas station. Security guard had a gun. They paid too much for door repair. ... But, there was a man with a gun. They left with less money than when they arrived, taken under duress.
My reaction to this new scoop was that it sounds like a classic shakedown. And that's the Brazilian police's version of what happened. Where's the proof that they even broke the door? Is it on the tape? If they broke the door and were shaken down for too much money by a guy with a gun, I'd call that a robbery. If the door was already broken (or not broken at all), same thing but more so.
"Psota said...
For Pete's sake, Brock turner was an All-American swimmer in high school and a member of the Stanford U swim team, a team with a long history of Olympic level swimmers. He is also an entitled jerk, as are Ryan Lochte, et al.
You are right that Michael Phelps' modest background, which is why I threw in that "mostly." But it can be hard to read a story about him without hearing how his modest background contrasts with the more comfortable upbringings of his fellow swimmers."
No evidence there. Brock Turner is not an Olympian. The fact that he went to a school that has produced a number of Olympians is meaningless. Ryan Lochte comes off a little smug, but I don't see Cullen Jones as entitled. Miss Warner seems pretty down to earth. SO who are the jerks? Should be easy if it's "most." Right?
How the fucking fuck did Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton become a focus of this particular comment thread?
You need to look inward, you dumb pricks. What shallow lives you lead to be so narrowly focused.
Guys did guy shit. And later on the news, a dog bit a man.
I don't blame 'em, it's their sports training--they're probably so used to going in the pool that normal bathrooms frighten and confuse them.
You are right that Michael Phelps' modest background, which is why I threw in that "mostly." But it can be hard to read a story about him without hearing how his modest background contrasts with the more comfortable upbringings of his fellow swimmers.
Obligatory words in praise of the modest background. Still, he has had a couple of DUIs and photographed many times with his bong.
_________
Hunter said...
I tried to watch the footage... it went for a long time, and nothing happened, and then reset on me. I don't feel like wasting any more of my time, but it seems like the video doesn't show a damn thing. Am I wrong about that?
Footage seems like a waste of time.
There was no video of the guys breaking any doors. I suspect the bathroom door was already broken or the toilet was out of order, otherwise they wouldn't have urinated on the floor of an alley. A bunch of guys looking for a bathroom and they don't pee behind a bush? Amazing. I don't buy the Brazilian accusation of vandalism. The athletes were drunk, it was late, they didn't speak the language, and the other guy(s) had gun(s) which isn't surprising late at night at a gas station. So the Olympians got scared, handed over their money and probably felt they have been robbed.
I tend to think it was a shakedown due to an unfortunate experience I had in Italy about forty years ago. I had been traveling for many months in Europe and the season changed suddenly and I was getting sick and in desperate need of a winter coat. I went to a department store and found a coat I liked and tried it on, but couldn't find a mirror or any customer service either. So I went to look for a mirror, with the tag on all on the coat, very obvious IMO. Suddenly, like five steps from the rack, I was surrounded by four or five beefy men and they marched me into a small office and started shouting at me, waving their arms, and accusing me of theft. I didn't speak much Italian and they didn't speak English and frankly I was incredulous at the accusation. So I defended myself and started shouting back at them that they were blackmailing me to buy a coat I felt was a little snug. They brought in a sales clerk who assured me the coat fit fine. LOL. They threatened to call the police which freaked me out, so I paid for the coat. Did I feel like a victim of extortion? Absolutely. I never told my mother about it, didn't make up a story about it, fortunately I'm not famous and it didn't become an international incident. But I can relate.
I've not watched a minute of NBC's Olympic coverage this time, but I may tune in this evening to see how NBC tries to put positive spin on this situation.
Bob Costas: "Ryan Lochte, an American Hero with a strong heart, a strong body... but a weak bladder. Let's go to Mary Carrillo for this heartbreaking story..."
The best part about this story about a third world Banana Republic is, that if you call them a third world Banana Republic, or God forbid, without intending to, show them for the third world Banana Republic that they are, they want to clap you in jail for 3 years for insulting them.
Since when do gas stations have armed guards? Since when do the police see a gas station armed guard shaking down visiting athletes, and blame the athletes and not do something about the guy with the gun? You'd think those kids voted Republican or something!
What a shitty enormous country. What fools they were to bid for the Olympics! Now everybody can see it.
I literally have no idea whom to believe at this point.
However, if character evidence is worth anything, at least the Brazilian police have never been the stars of a reality series in which they were entitled jerks . . .
Psota, I also eagerly await your list of "jerks". Who are they?
However, if character evidence is worth anything, at least the Brazilian police have never been the stars of a reality series in which they were entitled jerks . . .
You have to follow print media not TV:
Killings by Police in Brazil Become Routine - WSJ
www.wsj.com/.../SB10001424127887323836504578553643...
The Wall Street Journal
Jul 12, 2013 - As Crime Rattles Brazil, Killings by Police Turn Routine ... is one of the darkest sides of Brazilian police: Freelance death squads, called grupos ...
but maybe it was in reruns:
Death squad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_squad
Wikipedia
Jump to Brazil - The Esquadrão da Morte ("Death Squad" in Portuguese) was a ... in the late 1960s in the context of the Brazilian Military Dictatorship.
History · By continent · Human rights groups · See also
Death Squads Kill Brazil's Crime-Prone Street Kids - latimes
articles.latimes.com › Collections › Youth
Jul 8, 1990 - DUQUE DE CAXIAS, Brazil — Cleiton, 12, used to steal from the stores in a shopping gallery near the center of Duque de Caxias, one of the ...
Death to undesirables: Brazil's murder capital - The Independent
www.independent.co.uk › News › World › Americas
The Independent
May 14, 2009 - Death to undesirables: Brazil's murder capital. Killing squads are hiring police officers to 'cleanse' a city of petty criminals, reports Evan ...
Bad Lieutenant,
Yeah, if Lochte's point was just to demonstrate that Rio is a violent city, that's not even open for debate -- Rio is an extremely violent city. In fact, while all this has been going on, at least two Olympic athletes- a Brit and an Australian- have been robbed at gunpoint. Like robbed-robbed, not Lochte-robbed.
But, then, it was probably never Lochte's objective just to point out how violent a city Rio is, was it? The whole point of the story was to get himself out of a jam and, unfortunately for him (and even less so for Feigan, Bentz and Conger, since they just went along with his story and didn't escape as quickly) he picked something that snowballed out of control.
It's like LOTS of helicopters got shot at in Iraq, and some of those were actually hit by ground fire, and some of those even had to make forced landings. That's unarguably true. If that had been the point of Brian Williams's story- to expose how dangerous it was for military pilots in Iraq and to get American civilians to appreciate that danger- it would be easier for people to understand, if not agree with what he did. But that wasn't his point in saying that he (Brian Williams) had been in the helicopter that had been shot and forced to land, was it? And, I suspect, Ryan Lochte's lie wasn't to demonstrate that Rio was a dangerous city, but rather to selfishly serve his own narrow interests.
I confess to you, Bobby, that at this point I still have no idea what happened the swimmers. There does seem to be agreement that guns were involved and the transfer of money.
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