Gunnar Bentz, left, and Jack Conger were removed from a flight (Picture: AP)

Olympic swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from a flight back to the US by the Brazilian authorities amid an investigation into a reported robbery targeting Ryan Lochte and his team-mates.

A lawyer for the two athletes said they will not be allowed to leave Brazil until they provide testimony to investigators, who are still searching for answers about how the swimmers got robbed on Sunday morning along with gold medallist Lochte.

Conger and Bentz left the Rio de Janeiro airport for an unspecified location in Brazil and had yet to testify, lawyer Sergio Viegas said.

The swimmers did not speak to reporters as they were driven away in a black car.




The drama comes amid increasing tension between Brazilian authorities and the American swimmers over the ever-changing account of the robbery.

Police have found little evidence so far to support their claims, and say the swimmers were unable to provide key details in interviews.

Lochte has said he was with Conger, Bentz and Jimmy Feigen when they were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with a police badge as they returned to the athletes’ village from a party, several hours after the last Olympic swimming events were held.

NBC reported on Wednesday night that Lochte had changed some of his earlier claims.

He now says the taxi was not pulled over but that they were robbed after stopping at a petrol station, NBC reported. Lochte also said the assailant pointed a gun at him rather than putting it to his head.

Lochte has returned home to the US, while the other three swimmers remain in Brazil.

Patrick Sandusky, US Olympic Committee (USOC) spokesman, said: ‘James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well.’

A Brazilian judge had earlier ordered the seizure of Lochte and Feigen’s passports, saying that there were discrepancies in their statements.

USOC said police went to the athletes’ village to try to collect the passports, but the swim team had already moved out. Representatives from the US consulate arrived at the airport shortly after the swimmers were held.

Lochte’s father, Steve Lochte, told The Associated Press by phone from his Florida home that his son called him on Tuesday after arriving in the US.

The 32-year-old swimmer was going to pick up his car and buy a new wallet to replace the one that he said was stolen in the robbery.

Ryan Lochte, who says his wallet was stolen at gunpoint, has already returned to the US (Picture: Matt Hazlett/Getty Images)

‘I’m just happy he’s safe,’ Mr Lochte said. ‘It was an unfortunate experience for him and the other three. I don’t know what all the controversy is. They were basically taken out of the taxi and robbed. The main thing is he’s very lucky that he’s safe and that all they got was his cash and wallet.’

He said his son’s Olympic credentials and mobile phone were not taken during the incident early on Sunday morning. He said he was sure Ryan had his passport or he would not have been allowed to board a plane.



A police official told the AP that they cannot find the taxi driver or witnesses from the robbery.

Lochte swam in two events in Rio, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay. Bentz, 21, and Conger, 20, also earned gold for swimming in the preliminary heats of the 4×200 relay. Feigen, 26, won gold for swimming in the heats of the 4x100m freestyle relay, which was won by the US.