Robbery claim US swimmers must stay in Brazil, says judge
A Brazilian judge has ordered that the passports of American swimmers Ryan Lochte and James Feigen be seized as authorities investigate their claim they were robbed at gunpoint during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The office of Judge Keyla Blank confirmed the request in a statement but Rio police did not say whether the order was carried out.
The US Olympic Committee said police went to the athletes' village on Wednesday morning to try to collect their passports, but the swim team had already moved out.
#BREAKING: Official statement from the Rio court re: order Lochte/Feigen passports be seized. pic.twitter.com/PY7wZ1gTgl
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 17, 2016
Spokesman Patrick Sandusky declined to say whether Lochte and Feigen were still in the country.
Lochte and three of his team-mates say they were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi on Sunday morning as they returned to the athletes' village from a party, several hours after the last Olympic swimming events were held.
Police have found little evidence so far to support their accounts and say the swimmers were unable to provide key details in police interviews.
A police official said officers cannot find their taxi driver or witnesses.
Lochte's lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, has said there is no question the robbery happened.
