Safety concerns left many people skeptical about the Rio games, and the concerns grew worse when reporters announced that US swimmers Ryan Lochte, Jimmy Feigen, Jack Conger, and Gunnar Bentz were allegedly robbed at gunpoint by a group of men who were impersonating police officers.

The swimmers were supposedly in a taxi on their way back to the Olympic village when the alleged incident took place. Ryan Lochte told reporters that one of the men “pulled out his gun, cocked it, and put it to [his] forehead”.

However, police struggled to find evidence of the robbery when the reports on the incident didn’t seem to add up. Skepticism lead Brazilian police to undergo investigations when new evidence revealed that the swimmers were seen vandalizing a gas station bathroom around the time of the alleged robbery. Security footage also showed the athletes returning to the Olympic village that same morning, with their wallets and cellphones. The evidence seems to suggest that the robbery never actually took place and Lochte has been accused of lying to authorities.

“Athletes at the Olympics are supposed to be heroes, and when they make bad decisions it reflects badly on heroes as whole” senior Amanda Fedele says.

Lochte has faced an endless amount of criticism for disappointing fans and acting as a poor example for Team USA.

Terri Bush, mother of two former swimmers, says “He’s representing USA Swimming, and my kids and I were a part of that for a very long time. To have other athletes look up to someone who would go to another country and act that way is just very sad.”

Ryan has apologized on social media for his behavior and for “embellishing” his story, but did not admit that the robbery did not happen. In a recent interview he stressed that he was willing to take full responsibility for his actions and apologized for his “immature and intoxicated behavior”. However, the public is very angry with Lochte, and many believe that he’s made a mockery of the Rio games.

The Lochte incident truly put a damper on his success, as well as overshadows the achievements of his teammates. The USA Olympic Committee plans to further investigate the situation back in the United States, but the public seems to be fully convinced that Lochte is nothing but a liar.