RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Two Olympic swimmers were taken off their flight from Brazil to the U.S. on Wednesday by local authorities amid an investigation into a reported robbery targeting Ryan Lochte and his teammates.
U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Patrick Sandusky confirmed Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were detained but had no other details.
Representatives from the U.S. consulate arrived at the airport shortly after the swimmers were held.
The action comes amid increasing tension between Brazilian authorities and the American swimmers over their account of the robbery.
Lochte 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 Sunday.