Olympic Scandal — Ryan Lochte’s Shameful Apology

The biggest scandal of the Rio Olympics just got even more humiliating — with Ryan Lochte (inset) still insisting that the U.S. Swim Team was involved in a robbery! The gold-medal champion, along with three other members of his team, created an international incident when they claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint while doing some late-night partying!

Ryan also made the mistake of trying to come off as a tough-guy in his fictional story that was supported by teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen.

"The guy pulled out his gun," said Ryan. "He cocked it, put it up to my forehead, and he said, 'Get down' — and I put my hands up. I was, like, 'Whatever.'" But, as seen in this "Out of Service" sign at the Rio gas station, Ryan and his teammates were a bigger danger to a bathroom door!

"I want to apologize for my behavior last weekend, for not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning," wrote Ryan — before sticking to his bizarre story of being threatened by a gunman. "It's traumatic to be out late in a foreign country — with a language barrier — and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave!"

Ryan also insisted that it's time for everyone to quit paying attention to his humiliating lies, explaining: "There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend." Instead, Ryan suggests: "I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performances of these Games."

Ryan, however, doesn't get the final say in that. The U.S. Olympic Committee is very unhappy over having to apologize to Brazil for what it describes as the "distracting ordeal" caused by Ryan making up a story about being robbed. (Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger are seen here arriving back in America, relieved to be out of Brazil after crowds shouted at them while leaving the police station there.)

"The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members," the USOC declared. "We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States."