Brazilian police charge Lochte for false robbery story

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – Brazilian police have formally charged American swimmer Ryan Lochte for fabricating a story about being robbed at gunpoint while attending the Olympic Games in Rio, local media reported Thursday.

The Olympic medalist was accused of “false communication of crime” after an investigation by the Rio Civil Police that asked a judge to issue a notification to the athlete in the U.S, according to the G1 newspaper.

Clemente Braune, commissioner of the Police Special Services Tourism (Deat), said there is no deadline for delivering the notice but the swimmer would be judged whether present or not, once he is notified.

The 12-time Olympics medalist said earlier this month he and three other American swimmers -- Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen -- were robbed at gunpoint on the night of the last day of the swimming competition at the games.

It later emerged that a security guard pointed a gun at the swimmers, demanding they pay for a bathroom door they reportedly vandalized at a suburban gas station near Olympic venues.

Lochte later apologized via Twitter for not being more “careful and candid” in his description of events.

Lochte faces up to a six-month prison term or a fine to complete the process, Braune told G1.

It is unclear the amount of any possible fine but Feigen was forced to pay 35,000 reals ($10,800) in order to be allowed to leave Brazil following the incident. Lochte had already left the country by the time a judge ordered his passport seized.

A copy of the indictment will be sent to the International Olympic Committee that announced last week it would form a disciplinary commission to investigate the incident, with the power to issue sanctions.