U.S. Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte issued an apology today "for not being more careful and candid" when explaining what happened during an alleged gunpoint robbery in Rio de Janeiro last weekend. 
 
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 "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 and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics," Lochte said in a statement posted on social media. "I wanted to share these thoughts until it was confirmed that the legal situation was addressed and it was clear that my teammates would be arriving home safely." 
 
 A photo posted by Ryanlochte (@ryanlochte) on Aug 19, 2016 at 7:11am PDT 
 
 Lochte claimed on Sunday that he and three teammates — Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen — were robbed in a taxi early that morning while heading to the Olympic Village in the Brazilian seaside city. Lochte told NBC News' Matt Lauer on Wednesday that the swimmers had used a restroom at a gas station and when they got back to their taxi, the driver didn't move. That's when two men approached with guns and badges and told them to get out and get down, Lochte said. 
 
 But Rio's Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso said the four U.S. swimmers were not robbed. 
 
 One or more of the U.S. Olympians vandalized a bathroom at the gas station after they left a party early Sunday. The athletes broke mirrors and damaged other things in the bathroom, police said. 
 
 The athletes initially refused to stay, but security asked the taxi not to leave. Another person stepped in to intervene between the athletes and the guards, and the athletes left money, police said. 
 
 Globo TV 
 
 Police said that witnesses were initially afraid to speak to police because of the possibility of retaliation from the high-profile foreign athletes involved. 
 
 There was no evidence of violence against the athletes, police noted. 
 
 On Thursday, Brazilian officials recommended that Lochte and Feigen face charges of false reporting of a crime, a civil police spokesperson said. 
 
 The investigation is ongoing. 
 
 In his apology today, Lochte called the experience "traumatic." 
 
 "It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country -- with a language barrier -- and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave, but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event," he said in the statement. 
 
 Lochte also acknowledged that "this was a situation that could and should have been avoided." 
 
 "I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons," he continued. 
 
 AP Photo/Leo Correa 
 
 Lochte, Bentz and Conger have returned to the United States, but Feigen remains in Brazil. 
 
 The U.S. Olympic Committee on Thursday night apologized to Brazil for the "distracting ordeal." 
 
 "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 statement said. "We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States." 
 
 Their behavior was also blasted by the head of USA Swimming, Chuck Wielgus. 
 
 "While we are thankful our athletes are safe, we do not condone the lapse in judgement and conduct that led us to this point. It is not representative of what is expected as Olympians, as Americans, as swimmers and as individuals," Wielgus said in a statement Thursday night. 
 
 ABC News' Matt Gutman, Julia Jacobo and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report. ||||| Ryan Lochte I'm Sorry 
 
 Ryan Lochte Says Sorry 
 
 Breaking News 
 
 Ryan Lochte is finally doing a mea culpa for the lie he told on NBC that's become an international incident ... but he kind of doubled down on the version of events he told cops. 
 
 Lochte just posted ... "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 and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics. I waited to share these thoughts until it was confirmed that the legal situation was addressed and it was clear that my teammates would be arriving home safely." 
 
 Lochte continues ... "It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country - with a language barrier - and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave, but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that I am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event." 
 
 He goes on to say he's proud to rep the USA in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided. 
 
 He adds, "I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons. I am grateful for my USA Swimming teammates and the USOC, and appreciate all of the efforts of the IOC, the Rio '16 Host Committee, and the people of Brazil who welcomed us to Rio and worked so hard to make sure that these Olympic Games provided a lifetime of great new memories." 
 
 "There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend, so I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performances of these Games and look ahead to celebrating future successes." 
 
 The statement is clearly crafted to thwart police efforts to have Lochte prosecuted. The biggest problem the swimmer faces ... going on TV, trashing the city by claiming armed men posed as cops robbed him as he was innocently taking a cab back to the Village. ||||| CLOSE Lochte and three U.S. swimmers said they were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday, with Lochte saying their cab was pulled over by men impersonating police officers. 
 
 Brazilian police say U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte lied about being robbed at gunpoint. (Photo: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports) 
 
 RIO DE JANEIRO — Jimmy Feigen was on his way back to the United States on Friday night after having his passport returned while another one of the U.S. swimmers who returned home has apologized and given a detailed account of the incident at the gas station. 
 
 Feigen did not join Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger when they left Thursday night because he was ordered to donate almost $11,000 to a local sports charity before charges against him would be dropped and he would be allowed to leave. USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said Feigen was able to "secure the release of his passport this evening and is headed home." 
 
 Rio officials are appealing and want the fine increased to about $50,000. 
 
 In a statement released through the University of Georgia, where he's a junior, Bentz said that he "regretted this situation has drawn attention away from the Olympics, which have been hosted so incredibly well by Brazil and its citizens." Though he portrayed Lochte as acting aggressively, his statement also substantiates what Lochte has previously said. 
 
 Lochte has said the four swimmers were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday by men impersonating police officers. Lochte said one of the men even pointed a gun to his forehead and robbed the men of their cash. But Rio police said the story was fabricated. 
 
 During a news conference Thursday, Fernando Veloso, chief of Rio’s civil police, said the men were drunk and smashed up a gas station bathroom before being confronted by security guards. Veloso said guards flashed a gun to prevent the men from leaving the scene, which ended with the swimmers giving about $55 to pay for the damage. 
 
 The International Olympic Committee has opened a disciplinary commission into the four athletes, and they could be sanctioned if wrongdoing is found. 
 
 In his statement, Bentz said the four were on their way back to the Olympic village early Sunday when they stopped at a convenience store to use the restroom. When they did not find a restroom inside, they "foolishly relieved ourselves on the backside of the building behind some bushes," Bentz said. They did see a locked door out back, Bentz said, but he did not see anyone break it open. 
 
 Video shot Thursday by USA TODAY showed the bathroom mirror and a soap dispenser were undamaged. 
 
 While they were in the area, however, Bentz said Lochte pulled down a framed metal ad that had been loosely anchored to the wall. This is similar to what Conger said in his statement to Rio police Thursday. adding that the sign being ripped off "made a lot of noise." 
 
 Bentz said he then suggested they leave, and they returned to the taxi.Two men whom Bentz said he believed to be security guards told them to exit the taxi. As Conger and Feigen walked away from the vehicle, Bentz said one of the guards flashed his badge at him and drew his handgun. As Bentz yelled at Conger and Feigen to return, the second guard drew his weapon. 
 
 "Both guards pointed their guns at us and yelled at us to sit on a nearby sidewalk," Bentz said. 
 
 Lochte got up and began yelling at the guards, Bentz said. Conger and he tried to pull him down to the ground, but Lochte had a "heated verbal exchange" with the guards. No physical contact was made, Bentz said. 
 
 A bystander who saw the exchange approached the group and offered to translate for the Portuguese-speaking officers. 
 
 “They don’t speak English,’’ Fernando Deluz said in an interview with the website globo.com. “I decided to get involved. The moment that they [the swimmers] tried to flee the security approached them. At first I told them ‘Slow, slow.’ I told them to be calm, go slow. They sat down. 
 
 “One of them was very terrified. Very terrified.” 
 
 Bentz described the group as being "frightened and confused." Through the interpreter, Bentz said one of the guards told them they needed to pay in order to leave. He gave them what was in his wallet, a $20 bill, and Feigen gave them 100 reals. The guards lowered their guns and Bentz said he used hand gestures to ask if it was OK to leave. 
 
 "I went over and I spoke with (the swimmers) and I said, 'OK, that’s OK, bye bye, thank you,’” Deluz told globo.com. 
 
 Video of the incident at the station has appeared on multiple media sites. But Bentz said he is "confident" some video angles that would substantiate his account have either not been released by Rio authorities or were skipped over. And no footage of the heated exchange between Lochte and the guards has been seen yet. 
 
 Bentz's apology follows one from Lochte earlier in the day on social media. The 12-time Olympic medalist said he was sorry for not being "more careful and candid" in how he described events Sunday. Though he did not go into details, Lochte said in a Tweet that he and three fellow swimmers faced a "traumatic" situation that involved a language barrier and a stranger pointing a gun at them. 
 
 He accepted responsibility for his role in "taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics." 
 
 "I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event," he wrote. "I am very proud to represent my country in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided." 
 
 Lochte said he wanted to wait until their situations were resolved before issuing a statement. He said that the focus of the Games should now turn back to the athletes who are still competing as the Games near their conclusion this weekend. 
 
 "There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend, so I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performance of these Games and look ahead to celebrating future successes," he wrote. 
 
 A photo posted by Ryanlochte (@ryanlochte) on Aug 19, 2016 at 7:11am PDT 
 
 PHOTOS: Every U.S. medal at the Rio Games
– Is Ryan Lochte trying to wrest back control of Lochte-Gate? USA Today points out the US swimmer posted a lengthy mea culpa—though TMZ labels it nothing more than a doubling down—on social media Friday morning. In it, he says he's sorry to "my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event" for his behavior in Rio over the weekend, though he doesn't document specifically what that behavior was. He apologizes "for not being more careful and candid" about what transpired and the part he played in "taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams" at the Olympics. With no mention of the drunken gas-station vandalism that's being alleged, Lochte simply wrote, "It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country—with a language barrier—and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave," adding that even in those circumstances, he should've a) "been much more responsible in how I handled myself," and b) avoided the situation entirely. As for why it took him so long to address the issue more fully, he notes he had to make sure teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and James Feigen were set to arrive back in the US safe and sound (though Feigen still remains in Brazil, per ABC News) and that all legal matters had been taken care of.