Michael Phelps Opens Up About Controversy on Fellow US Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte's Robbery Incident in Rio
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in the history, has finally broken his silence about his teammate Ryan Lochte, who is currently involved in the Rio robbery controversy.
In an exclusive video from E! News, the celebrated swimmer was seen stepping out of a Starbucks in Ariz, where paparazzi cornered him to ask about his thoughts on the scandal.
Asked whether he had talked to his best bud and longtime rival, Phelps said he had not talked to him since the Olympics.
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He also expressed his belief that the issue will be resolved soon, as they had "good people" working on it.
Despite the tension surrounding the US swim team since the incident, Phelps looked calm and collected, even stopping by to say hi to fans congratulating him for his wins at the Games.
Phelps arrived home Wednesday, days before his US swimmates became embroiled in the Rio robbery scandal, which is now being denounced by the Rio police as fabricated.
What happened before: the Rio robbery
On Aug. 12, Lochte and three of his teammates stopped by a gas station to use the restroom, where they were allegedly held by gunpoint by robbers.
However, new surveillance footage from the gas station showed that Lochte and his friends caused property damage to the restroom, and were held at gunpoint by the security because a drunk Lochte was being unruly and confrontational.
Money indeed changed hands, but it was to settle the vandalism that the four Olympic swimmers caused.
The fallout
Since then, the US Olympic committee had issued a statement apologizing for the swimmers' behavior, saying it was a stain on an otherwise ceremony of excellence.
Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger are already back in the US, while Jimmy Feigen remained in Brazil to cooperate with the police.
Police are unsure whether or not charges can be pressed against the four athletes.
Lochte's apology
With the police discrediting their story. Ryan Lochte recently apologized on social media Friday morning, lamenting that he was not more open and candid regarding the robbery scandal.
He said he wanted to make sure that all legal issues were addressed and that all three swimmers can get home safely.
He also accepted responsibility over what happened, and apologized to his teammates, the USOC, and his fellow athletes. He hoped that no more valuable resources be wasted on the issue so people can go back to celebrating the stories and successes of the Olympics.
