US Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte issued an apology Friday morning for lying about being robbed in Rio.
Lochte wrote that he wanted to “apologize for [his] behavior last weekend — for not being more careful and candid in how [he] described the events of that early morning and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics.” (REPORT: Networks Covered Ryan Lochte Six Times More Than $400 Mill. Iran Ransom)
https://t.co/n82dZH2gfl pic.twitter.com/rGp1nmA94G
— Ryan Lochte (@RyanLochte) August 19, 2016
“I waited to share these thoughts until it was confirmed that the legal situation was addressed and it was clear that my teammates would be arriving home safely,” Lochte continued.
Ryan Lochte of the United States attends a press conference in the Main Press Center on Day 7 of the Rio Olympics (Getty Images)
He noted that “it’s traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country, with a language barrier, and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money.”
“Regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors and the hosts of this great event,” he explained. “I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons.” (RELATED: Ryan Lochte Indicted In Brazil)
Lochte also thanked USA Swimming and the US Olympic Committee for giving him the chance to participate in the 2016 games.