The Ugly Americans

Talk about playing to stereotype. Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen made a sensational claim earlier this week that they were robbed at gunpoint while out on the town in Rio after the swimming competition had ended. Unfortunately, subsequent investigation, including surveillance video, shows that the swimmers were just drunken hooligans confronted by armed security guards. The swimmers apparently stopped at a gas station where they broke down a bathroom door and vandalized the toilet before fighting with security guards that showed up. While it may be quite possible that the guards “extorted” some money from the athletes before letting them go, the swimmers were hardly innocent tourists stopped and robbed at gunpoint for no reason. In fact, they were playing to the typical stereotype of the ugly American who comes and trashes another country and then leaves. Their accusations certainly made headlines and further stained the already tarnished reputation of Rio with what was basically a lie. Sadly for Lochte, his brilliant Olympic swimming career will soon be forgotten while his lies and hooliganism will be remembered.