Prosecution of Ryan Lochte Allowed By Brazil Court, Reversing Previous Decision

Ryan Lochte. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Ryan Lochte could still be prosecuted for filing a false police report during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, after a recent ruling by a Brazilian court, multiple news outlets reported.

Last year, a court dismissed the case against Lochte, but the Superior Court of Justice reversed that decision in late June, the Associated Press reported. Prosecutor Rodrigo de Almeida Maia said Thursday that the next step is for Lochte’s lawyers to present their defense.

Lochte does not have to appear in person to defend himself, de Almeida Maia said.

After finishing his races in Rio, Lochte told NBC that he and fellow swimmers were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with police badges as they returned to the Olympic Village from a party.

Prosecutors said Lochte conjured the story to cover up their vandalism of a gas station, which was captured by surveillance cameras at the station.Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, acknowledged afterward that he was intoxicated, leading to the vandalism and apologized.The bigger immediate issue at the time was that when the false story hit the news, it shed Rio in a bad light after there was much fear prior to the games involving the safety of the athletes and fans. But that wasn’t the case and there were not any major problems during the games.

The incident cost Lochte a 10-month suspension from the U.S. national swim team and he lost several sponsor deals. He served the suspension and is back training for 2020 after getting married and having a child.

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