By Stephen Dietrich, Managing Editor
I can think of no better example of how terrible the mainstream media has gotten in the United States than the shoddy reporting surrounding the strong armed robbery of Ryan Lochte and the three U.S. Olympic swimmers that were held in Brazil.
“Vandals, not victims,” blasts CNN’s headline.
“Ryan Lochte: A champion swimmer caught in a riptide of self-absorption,” says The Washington Post.
“Rio Robbery Ruse!” says Slate.
I have a reality check for the liberal media back here in America – you clearly don’t understand how the world works.
This was a robbery. Now it’s extortion.
Our Olympians are being forced to bribe their way back home after being strong-armed by corrupt cops. They were being held hostage in Brazil.
It’s outrageous. And the American media is practically giddy about it.
The four swimmers quietly told family members back home that they were robbed by police — and their family made the mistake of blabbing about it to the mainsteam media.
As a result, Americans were dragged from their planes and interrogated, and forced to confess to the notoriously corrupt (and now publicly embarrassed) Rio authorities that they weren’t actually robbed?
One of the swimmers, Jack Feigen, has announced through his attorney that he’s making a $10,800 “donation” payment on Friday to be allowed to leave?
Read between the lines here.
How far have we fallen when journalists simply accept the word of the notoriously corrupt Brazilian police force – and then turn around and make outrageous headlines like Madame Norte’s, “The Ryan Lochte Robbery Drama Isn’t About A Little White Lie, But Rather, Big White Privilege”.
Someone at “Madame Norte” left their critical thinking skills at the door – or needs to travel outside of America more.
Ryan Lochte may have acted reprehensible. It is clear that he and Feigen and their friends were acting foolish and drunk. They broke a door at a gas station.
But they made a mistake in Rio, and they ran face-to-face with real, honest-to-God corrupt cops.
The same American journalists that write article over article bashing the U.S. police are so oblivious, they can’t wrap their heads around what REAL corruption looks like.
Gas station security guards don’t point guns at people and hold them until they cough up their wallets… unless they’re being robbed.
Then, when the story went international, they were strong-armed into confessions so they wouldn’t embarrass the corrupt authorities any further — and forced to make huge bribe payments to leave.
And the media here in America couldn’t be more blind.
Why am I not surprised?
— Stephen Dietrich is the Managing Editor of The Horn News
Main Street says
Brazil has a very high crime and corruption problem. A few less than truthful American swimmers who drank too much is a small issue their. Brazil is just capitalizing on the weak American leadership and treating Americans poorly. As what is reported in the local news here in the Boston area, Massachusetts has a large Brazilian population, in places like the Boston suburb of Framingham. Maybe we need leadership that sends some of these folks home to Brazil if they are here illegally.
G10 says
This is shameful ‘reporting’ by Stephen Dietrich, using jingoist assumptions about security officers in other countries for which there is no evidence. The facts are clear. What would be your reaction if the tables were turned and the same events involved foreign athletes competing in the USA? I’ll tell you what: you’d be using words like “outrage!”. “The Guardian” has more readers than “The Horn News”. You might not like it because its coverage of events is more balanced or, in your language, “too liberal”. The coverage there today includes this:
——–
The Brazilian news site O Globo quoted the unnamed owner of the station as complaining of “pure vandalism” saying the swimmers damaged his property after workers at the station asked them to use the bathroom instead of urinating on a wall.
Lochte returned home three days ago, ahead of an order from a judge to have his passport confiscated as the swimmers’ story started to fall apart. Conger and Bentz were removed from a flight to Houston on Wednesday and have been talking to police. Feigen is said to still be in Brazil but has not talked to the police.
The incident is an embarrassment for US Olympic officials who have spent a great deal of time instructing their athletes to not offend their Brazilian hosts.
Before the Olympics began, the US’s Chief de Mission, Alan Ashley told The Guardian that the US Olympic committee had former Olympic stars address each US team before Rio, educating them on acceptable and unacceptable behavior while at the Games. They had put an extra emphasis on presenting a good image to the world in Rio where so many other delegations have complained about crime and a lack of preparedness. American officials desperately wanted their athletes to stand in contrast to those from other countries who were overly critical of Brazil. Instead, Lochte becomes the most visible foreigner showing a lack of respect for the host country – urinating, literally, on their wall, then concocting a lie by playing to everybody’s deepest fears about safety.
Lochte has always been a boisterous presence on the US team. He is a six-time gold medal winner, with 12 overall medals over four Olympics making him one of the most-decorated swimmers in American history. But since his four Olympics have always coincided with those of Michael Phelps, he has always been overshadowed by his teammate.
Lochte’s easy laugh and wild man image earned him countless endorsements from which he is said to have made millions of dollars.He is often mocked for his use of phrases like “bro” and “jeah” and the swimming media look forward to his press conferences, which are often a respite from the more serious Phelps and Katie Ledecky, the winner of four gold medals in Rio.
Three years ago Lochte had a reality show on the E! Network called What Would Ryan Lochte Do? The show was cancelled after an eight-week run in the spring of 2013. He arrived at these Olympics in full character with his hair dyed green.
———————–
The US swimmers have been an embarrassment to their country, sporting profession and the Olympic spirit. But things happen that may be out of character. So when apologies are made for wrongdoings, we appreciate it. For an example of what the Olympic spirit is all about look to New Zealand distance runner Nikki Hamblin and American runner Abbey D’Agostino. They are your role-models.
Lynette says
Is there a photo of alleged damage? A legitimate bill? Accounting for money taken by guard? Jingoistic? Truth or ferreting out truth is now jingoistic?
G10 says
Maybe “jingoistic” is a bit of an extreme word. But only “a bit”. As to the other questions, are you implying that there was no damage at all and that the whole thing was made up? Are you implying that the guard took money from them? Where’s your evidence or proof? More to the point, do you accept that these are now redundant because of the statements made by the swimmers? Little-Americaners, like Little-Englanders, need to accept that there is good and bad in all peoples and that none of us has the monopoly on virtue. Those swimmers appear to have moved on and gotten over it (well they will once the media frenzy moves onto something else). The rest of us need to as well.
albert says
The Guardian, you mean the left wing trash read by a few thousand libtard idiots in the UK ? is that supposed to validate your argument ?
JAT says
Well said .I’m embarrassed by their actions. could have been some over zealous police but bad conduct by our folks never the less.
Ron says
I say everyone is innocent until PROVEN guilty. However, the circumstances around this incident appear to be that our Olympian contestants lied about this. This is one article by Horn News that I think is jumping to conclusions of innocence too strongly before the facts are known. If they lied to the police there needs to be consequences for that. There is a tendency to look the other way too often when a sports figure or celebrity is involved in wrongdoing.
G10 says
Spot on. I agree.
Maria says
Let’s not forget it seems the video tapes were tapered with since there is an obvious lapse in time from the events shown…
.Common folks this is BRAZIL !!! CORRUPTION PERSONIFIED!!!! I also agree they should of known better…. especially, going anywhere in South America where the people HATE US!! Reserve your judgement until all the facts are in.
G10 says
I can’t reply to Maria’s message – maybe there are only so many layers where replies are allowed. Anyway, I’ve been to South America; and I’ve been to Cuba. And in neither place did I find people who hated Americans – if anything the opposite is true. I dare say that most Americans who think that people of another country/nationality hate them, have not actually been to that country; and it could even be that people making those remarks have never been outside the U S of A. And even if “in South America where the people HATE US!” – it begs the question: “Why?”. People in these countries were never born hating Americans, in the same way that nobody reading this was born hating any other country or nationality. If people do hate another nationality, it is because of something – real or perceived – that the other nationality has done to them, or because of some innate prejudice that they’ve heard or adopted. So, aside from a long history of inter-meddling in other countries’ internal affairs etc, what have Americans (and Brits, and French, and Russians, etc) ever done to warrant being hated?
Pac says
$11,000.00 worth of damage or extortion before US athlete leaves .
Do they need money that bad NOW ! I don’t see them damaging a door in video.
Also parts of video is shown not all of it.
West Hunt says
Dern Tooten
Pablo Montoya says
And how about the Australian and British athletes..was their story fabricated too? Naive ppl…smh..even here int he good ole USA cops can be crooked and ppl have been known to CONFESS under threats…use your brain…like the article said ..they quietly filed a report..and told their family…who in turn started the firestorm..I’ve visited these places in my job for the feds..my Dad used to say..once is an occurence, twice is a coincidence…more than that is a pattern and a problem…trouble is Lochte and friends did not use brains…and the USA PC government is too worried to OFFEND anyone…and this keeps the coverage off the ISSUES like green water in RIO…
Larry Stark says
You Are A BOT !
Joe says
I know you were in rio and witnessed all of these events!! With our current wuss of a president, turns terrotist loose for a traitor and bonds out 3 Americans for 400 million, this is onbviously a move by a corrupt police force! They are as bad as mexico and that is very bad! I have been to both countries and seen first hand evidence of that!! Have you?
Stell says
Yes, our country is a shameful place when our leaders are what they are right now. They are also corrupt like the media.
Peter says
The biggest criminals here are CNN as they can be assured of hitting decent Americans and America itself. The ‘anchors’ are chosen for their pretty faces and anti Semitic and anti American views. You woud think that some or all of the Anchors were God himself in what they say and so.
Peter says
The biggest criminals here are CNN as they can be assured of hitting decent Americans and America itself. The ‘anchors’ are chosen for their pretty faces and anti Semitic and anti American views. You would think that some or all of the Anchors were God himself in what they say and so.
Marcia says
These swimmers not only brook a door at the gas station they peed on the potted plants. They should have their medals taken away and now allowed to leave this country as they disrespected Rio and the people that live there I am an American and has never gone outside my country but there is one way to behave and that is the respect others as you would like to be respected.
I hate Obama and Hillary and am voting for Trump
Sam Bennett says
The Olympics as well as the United Nations works very much against America. We need to boycott both. We don’t need to be isolationists but we do need to get out of the United Nations and stay away from the Olympics.
OracleGuy says
Sure, since our athletes can’t behave without supervision, let’s keep them home where we can ignore their boorish behavior. Sam, that would show the world how bone-headed some of us have become.
spike says
Thanks for actually showing some journalistic integrity and professionalism. Of course we know they were robbed by police and are now being strong armed into additional payments and false confessions. This is how the police work in Brazil and in many other countries. We are so spoiled here in the USA that we are blind to the corruption when it occurs right under our noses. Take the Hillary Clinton email scandal, does any serious person have any doubt she should be doing the perp walk in an orange jump suit right now? You have to be beyond partisan to not see the most corrupt individual that has ever run for the POTUS. I am ashamed of my fellow Americans for their ignorance and duplicity.
Lois E. says
Very well said, I agree wholeheartedly!!!
JAT says
Doesn’t excuse their poor conduct. We are better than that.
OracleGuy says
How do we know they were robbed by police, spike? Video shows that they were not accosted in any manner yet you believe what they said to cover their behinds rather than what is clearly seen? Unbelievable!
John G . says
OracleGuy,
In reading you’re obvious leftist posts – you should consider moving to Cuba, Russia or one of other many countries which seem to share your views.
You poor misguided soul.
Arthur Hartsock says
Once when arrested in Des Moines I had $400 taken from my wallet by the policeman. It was brazen-he did it right to my face. Strangely, he didn’t steal all of my money. Suppose he wanted me to be able to afford to get out of town afterwards? Smart for him. When I was released I swallowed my pride and exited the city quickly. I’m sure I’m not a lone stranger. Surely has happened to others.
Darlene says
I agree 100% spike!!!
Lynette says
Thank you. I saw the video minus the minutes edited out by someone. It was a very scary life or death scenario. Gun pointed hands up sit on ground give me your money. I would have been thinking I was going to die on a gas station tarmac Then questioned by police then taken into police station after pulled off plane and pressured by passport forfeiture jail etc. That kind of fear might make a liar out me.How much must I pay and what do you want me to confess? The men do not speak Portuguese and were impaired by alcohol so perceptions were confused and they did not understand anything except gun. Where is money guard took? Where is legitimate bill for repair of door? Why is he not being scrutinized?
Lynette says
Where are photos of alleged damage?
loneieagle says
Why, are you the defense attorney?
law5960 says
Ryan Lochte has now issued an apology (https://www.instagram.com/RyanLochte/) and admitted that he did not tell the truth. Do you still have to see the pictures?
Pablo Montoya says
And how about the Australian and British athletes..was their story fabricated too? Naive ppl…smh..even here int he good ole USA cops can be crooked and ppl have been known to CONFESS under threats…use your brain…like the article said ..they quietly filed a report..and told their family…who in turn started the firestorm..I’ve visited these places in my job for the feds..my Dad used to say..once is an occurence, twice is a coincidence…more than that is a pattern and a problem…trouble is Lochte and friends did not use brains…and the USA PC government is too worried to OFFEND anyone…and this keeps the coverage off the ISSUES like green water in RIO…
Pablo Montoya says
Do you know how to read? He at no time said he lied…he said he didn’t explain it correctly…you need to go back and read it..I thought when you posted it he confessed..smh….
Arthur Hartsock says
Ryan, you have started to learn the ‘cold hard facts of life.’ I’m sure there is truth in both sides of the story. Admittedly, there was a mixture of youngsters and alcohol-always a dangerous combination. Next you were in a country that hates Americans and had a chance to take it out on you. I believe these were real policemen doing tis to you (extorting your money), because I’ve had the same thing happen to me. Since you were a celebrity they weren’t going to harm you-just steal your money. This is a lesson you’ll remember all of your life. Soon you’ll be able to laugh about it-in a safe bar in your American neighborhood. Be thankful that you’re an American, Ryan!!
Arthur Hartsock says
one more comment. Ryan Lochte is a very accomplished Olympic swimming competitor. He has won 6 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals. No one can take this away from him. He didn’t commit a major felony-just a stupid misdemeanor level offense which he’s paid for with fines/donations. If it wasn’t for Phelps’ domination of the swimming world, Lochte would be better known. But he’ll forever be a punchline of the Rio Olympics. Sort of like when the US Hockey team trashed their living quarters a few years ago. He’s had to work very hard to achieve his swimming/Olympic success, and he can probably be successful in some other line of work in the future.
law5960 says
Brazil has a a very high crime rate, tremendous economic problems, a corrupt government, an impeached president and so many more problems that some drunk urinating at a gas station is pretty meaningless. Nevertheless, Lochte and the other swimmers were in the country as representatives of the United States and their behavior was unacceptable. Lying to cover up that behavior was even more unacceptable. I had thought it was just Lochte’s haircut that made him an Ugly American, but it was so much more. We all knew about Brazil’s problems and what could be expected during the Games. That does not excuse the embarrassing behavior of these athletes, however.
James Termini says
Brazil’s corrupt cops are deplorable, and they are condemned for their behavior. But, sorry, this does not exonerate our swimmers. If they got drunk and destroyed property then they have to accept consequences. No one forced liquor down their throats, and their drunkenness does not excuse them. If they had any self-discipline this whole imbroglio would not have happened.
JAT says
You are on the mark. I’ve been all over the world as an American and know how corrupt other countries are but our conduct should not lower to the host country. We are better than that and should set the example. Takes away from their victory.
loneieagle says
Maybe the authorities did something wrong based on America’s standards, but when you are in a foreign country and get drunk and vandalize property, you are asking for trouble. Our Olympic swimmers created a bad situation. Don’t ignore that and then start blaming the reaction to it. If the “Security Guards” had just let them leave the gas station, it would have left someone else to pay for the damage while our swimmers left Brazil never to be seen again. This seems to happen all the time now. Someone breaks the law, puts the Police in an unknown and potentially dangerous situation, and then we nit-pick over the Police response. We need to stop the crime, but how are we going to do that if we always blame the authorities. We need more personal responsibility. If the swimmers knew they broke the door and went to the manager (instead of getting in the vehicle), and apologize and volunteered to pay to fix it, then there would be no bad guys in this story on either side.
Brenda says
It sure didn’t help that these athletes were drunk and not in the perimeters of where they should have been. I am sure they were told not to enter certain areas, but being naive (stupid is more like it) they went anyway and got themselves in over their heads) and now America is being made a fool. People that live in that country knew what would happen to any athlete coming no matter what country, but everyone said it would be safe to have the Olympics there. I am sure America will pay the price for this escapade.
Keith says
Yeah its to bad they don’t do the same shit to CROOKED COMMIE CLINTON
OracleGuy says
Gee, Keith. You took a civil discussion of a current topic and turned it in the direction of name-calling and general stupidity. Way to get us back on TheHornNews track of intolerance!
Doug Gentry says
I have a picture that was a warning from Brazilian Police and first responders They held a banner which says welcome to Hell, if you come here don’t expect protection. Their own banner.
John . says
If what he did proves true then he needs to admit responsibility and move on, but the police should be made to air the 3 minutes of video that is missing.
What he did is inexcusable, but having worked for a large Brazilian company with operation throughout Brazil – the corruption, car jackings, robberies and kidnappings are a common occurrence than not..
R Wms says
So true.
simms says
Next thing you will hear is, “we were shot at by snipers as we were getting on the plane.” Remember that line of crap? Funny how the miserable left news didn’t cover that.
Justin W says
These Olympians destroyed property. They then lied by telling people they had been robbed. This whole incident has tarnished the American team’s stellar accomplishments at the Olympics. Maybe its time that these guys get kicked off the team. Surely we can replace them with people of integrity.
female tax payor says
I get Horns point. But here’s the truth. They would not have been susceptible to after the incident extortion if ring leader L, had not fabricated a false story. Look they were drunk & disorderly , peeing in public on building walls instead of using one of the like 10 bathroom stalls at that gas station, which was busy. Other patrons heading back to use the stalls saw bare ass & Brazil has that video per their news interviews of patrons. Now understand here L has vidio on his Facebook that he never pees in toilets, hold it till he can pee in the pool. If can’t make it, well he insinuates toilets are for taking a dump only & male peeing is for marking your territory! Just like dogs do. …So this went viral way before Brazil and is a mantra sorta right these SWIMMER’S do. So after seeing L’s Facebook post on peeing, well no pool and full of themselves hey I have to believe they declined to go into a toilet stall and choose to whip um out in the passage way to the stalls and mark the passageway walls. Patrons entering the passageway on their way to & from stalls obviously were shocked & got attention of the gas station attendants. The vidio you see of them coming of the passageway with their pants back up, 2-3 watching front & 1 following them out… well that’s their exit. Just prior attendants went back, confronted them, chastising pointing to stalls trying to tell them they couldn’t pee in public. Language barrier, but they got it. One of them, probably L got balegerant kicked in a stall door probably pointing you want ME to pee in that? … Not saying Brazil witness accounts are ant different than ours or their media isn’t biased but because of L’s pee mantra ….Ok so attendants round up public nuisances and get them out of the passageway so other patrons can pass. Meantime security & police were called. Apparently (see gas station video) once they find their cab and get seated after trying to get into wrong cab, security shows up tells the cab driver to have them exit, & escorts them off the business property to the sidewalk to wait for police. A kind Brazillian civilian offers to translate and intervene. At some point they get it! Before police get there, they open their wallets and offer like a piddly $30 to compensate the gas station for damage…one could say this was a bribe to keep the station from pressing charges….see! Not extortion or robbery. Whatever!!!! They clearly gave (without a lawsuit) a pittance and hightailed it out of there with rest of their money, wallets, cell phones, watches etc…As fender benders often do, appears to me they privately settled damages with aid of that nice Brazillian interpreter. Got away with a drunken rampage of breaking rules….got back safe & sound thus jubilant coming back through security at Olympic village next morning. But past sounding alarms that they were missing. Of course our committee pounced on them & well all we know is wisely told them right then don’t talk about your missing hours. No bragging, no nothing. You represent USA. They all said they understood. Like what? 10 minutes later L still so full of himself & drunk is on the phone. Then idiot bragging to major news channel plagerizes from BLM ‘s slogan hands up don’t shoot… but paints himself as the superman standing up against evil police…says he put his hands up ( don’t shoot) , but REFUSED to obey order to lay down on the ground and notice in his fantasy story he degraded other guys there as whimmpy saying they all layed down. Fantasy BIG man standing up against corrupt police BS. Egotistical self centered hulk, bully caused a WORLD of harm to everyone. And his best buddy, who choose to back his false lies defaming Brizil , with more lies…well he was victuming Brazil, same as ringleader and could have not gone there. The 10 grand he’s to pay to charity. And then avoiding long drawn out prosecution for reporting false crimes & getting his passport back. Yea feels funny just like handing out $30 to leave before police arrived did. But its a bit different. Just consider it a plea bargain reached between US & Brazil on a pending a criminal case. Happens all the time in US.
Chuck says
There is a lot of “he-said-she-said” here, so getting to the exact truth of what occurred is highly improbable. What is clear is that the penalty for breaking down a rest-room door, in the form of a demand for thousands of dollars to be donated to “charity”, is extortion in the form of forced bribes to let these American swimmers off the hook.
Texas Belle says
It is the liberal line; blame America first. Too bad it tarnished the reputation of the competitors in the Olympics.
Terry says
Best solution is to kick L off the team. Late I suppose. We can all be our own worst enemy. I hope the tax payer keeps on paying taxes. O needs more time playing golf. O is like these drunks except he is not drunk. Except with his own sense of being a legend i him own mind. He can just pee on the laws and can make his own laws anytime he feels like it.
Karo Pones says
The guy with the white hair already confessed and apologized for his stupidity, Believe or not, but Americans can do idiotic things also.
Lee Perez says
The whole story has not been told. We should reserve judgement until all the facts are in. I neither condemn the young men involved, nor am I going to throw mud at Brazil. These young men obviously acted very foolishly, and it is just so sad that we are all ganging up on them before we know exactly what really happened. In the end, we will find out the truth. Until then, we should refrain from blaming anybody, including the policemen.
Roz says
It happens all the time in Latin American Countries! About 20 years ago we went to Cancun with another couple & rented a car. From Cancun we traveled to Chichen Itza, Mexico to tour the Mayan pyramids & ruins. There were a few toll stops with armed soldiers collecting tolls & checking luggage. At one stop, toll payment was made & a thorough luggage examination was made by armed soldiers followed by another stop just a very short distance away by another group of soldiers. I speak Spanish & had no fear (foolish maybe, wouldn’t do it now), & I got out of the car & bawled them out face to face for threatening us! They were trying to extort money from us. They were shocked & taken aback by my ability to speak Spanish & they backed off & let us pass. Later we returned to Cancun a different way! The government as a whole & the majority of the officials in these countries are very corrupt & when they see foreigners (who must be rich) they see an easy way to get money! So don’t put it all on the nasty swimmers.
\’];ftydr;
Roz says
This is a true story & does not need changes.
R Wms says
I can tell you that the police in much of South aamerica are on they take. It is expected that you have $20 bucks preferably American to get your self excused from from things such as speeding. It is part of their culture.
l
Kevin says
Well Stephen I hope you feel like a schmuck after writing this article which automatically took the side of the American swimmers and painted Rio officials as corrupt. What do you have to say after Ryan Lochte’s interview aired last night?