OLYMPIC swimming superstar Ryan Lochte and his team-mates fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint to hide the fact they had damaged a petrol station door, it is claimed.

Earlier this week the US athletes said they were "robbed" while returning home to the Olympic Village after a night out in Rio.

5 Ryan Lochte and his US teammates got into a fight with a gas station security guards on their way back to the village, it is claimed Credit: Usa Today Sports

5 He had claimed he was held up by men dressed as police after returning from partying in Rio Credit: Getty Images

But the story now appears to be unravelling with members of the group changing their story amid a Brazilian police investigation.

Lochte previously said: "I wouldn't make up a story like this nor would the others - as a matter of fact we all feel it makes us look bad."

Today, it was claimed police have security footage of a member of the group "fighting" with the guard and breaking down a bathroom door.

The security guard then forced them to hand over money to pay for the damage at gunpoint, Brazil's G1 news site reported.

Along with Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen, Lochte had claimed they were robbed at gunpoint outside the gas station.

The group said their assailants were men with guns posing as police officers.

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Earlier this week CCTV footage emerged in Brazilian media of Feigen and Lochte returning to the village much later than they claimed.

And Lochte’s wallet, which was supposed to have been stolen, was seen passing through the village's security check. Rio police have also been unable to find the driver of their taxi.

Describing the incident earlier this week, he said: "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.

"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."

5 US swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were stopped from flying home on Wednesday Credit: Reuters

5 Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger leave the police station at Rio airport in the early hours of Thursday Credit: AP:Associated Press

5 The American swimmers were questioned by police before being released Credit: Getty Images

Overnight Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, who both won gold medals in the 4×200 metres freestyle relay, were prevented from boarding an aircraft to return home.

Brazilian authorities later released the pair but they are expected to face further questioning.

Earlier on Wednesday, Rio police tried to stop Feigen and Lochte from leaving Brazil in order to question them further about the disputed robbery.

Sandusky said local police came to the athletes’ village on Wednesday morning to meet the pair and seize their passports but said “we were not able to make the athletes available” as the swimming team moved out of the village when their competition ended last weekend.

Lochte is believed to have already returned to the US.

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