Gunnar Bentz Releases Statement Detailing Incident at 2016 Rio Olympics

United States swimmer Gunnar Bentz issued an apologetic and detailed statement through the University of Georgia on Friday night that explained what transpired the night he, Ryan Lochte, Jack Conger andJimmy Feigen were involved in an encounter at a Rio de Janeiro gas station.In the statement, which Yahoo Sports' Pat Forderelayed, Bentz clarified that the group of American swimmers left a party and were headed back to the athletes' village around 6 a.m. BRTon Sunday when they stopped at a gas station to look for a bathroom:There was no restroom inside, so we foolishly relieved ourselves on the backside of the building behind some bushes.There was a locked door out back and I did not witness anyone breaking it open. I am unsure why, but while we were in that area, Ryan pulled to the ground a framed metal advertisement that was loosely anchored to the brick wall.Bentz went on to clarify that while a pair of security guards who drew their guns confronted them, there was no holdup, as Lochte previously claimed."Oneof the guards said that we needed to pay them in order to leave," according to Bentz. "I gave them what I had in my wallet, which was a $20 bill, and Jimmy gave them 100 Reals, which is about $50 in total. They lowered the guns, and I used hand gestures to ask if it was OK to leave, and they said yes."Bentz also stressed that not all of the security camera footage from the night in question encapsulates what occurred at the gas station, but he made it clear the situation escalated when Lochte and the security guards "had a heated verbal exchange."While Bentz appears to have been forthcoming in his statement and in discussions with authorities, the same can't be said of Lochte.Rio police officials confirmed Thursday that no armed robbery was committed at the gas station, according to the Associated Press, and then Lochte backtracked Friday morning when he posted an apology on Twitter:The AP also mentioned the swimmers involved in the altercation could be subject to punishment under USA Swimming's code of conduct.Specifically, suspensions, fines, probation or expulsion from the team could be in play depending on how USA Swimming decides to adjudicate the matter.
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