Four American swimmers robbed at gunpoint in Rio, U.S. Olympic Committee says

Twelve-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte and three teammates were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The other swimmers were Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen.

According to the committee’s statement, the four swimmers were in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village when they were “stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings.”

The statement conflicted with an initial reaction from the International Olympic Committee, who said reports of the incident were “absolutely not true,” ABC News reported.

Ryan Lochte + others robbed in Rio. US Olympic Committee statement: pic.twitter.com/DHmkhLqz0y

— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) August 14, 2016

Lochte recalled the incident to NBC News:

“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,” he said. “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so—I’m not getting down on the ground.

“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, “Get down,” and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials.”

On Thursday, Lochte and three other teammates won gold in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay.