Lochte: I ‘over-exaggerated’ Rio incident

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte said he “over-exaggerated” a story in which he claimed he was robbed at gunpoint during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

{mosads}Lochte told NBC News in an interview aired Sunday morning that he wanted to take “full responsibility” for the incident. He said he had “tarnished” the games and overshadowed the fans and other athletes competing.

The Olympic medalist initially claimed that he and three fellow swimmers had been held up at gunpoint and robbed. But Brazilian authorities said the American athletes had lied about the robbery and instead had a confrontation with an employee at a gas station they vandalized.

Lochte had claimed that a robber held a gun to his head, but he admitted in the NBC News interview that he exaggerated that claim because he had been drunk. Police said a gas station security guard had pulled out a weapon when the athletes tried to leave the scene before paying for the damage they caused.

“I’m not making me being intoxicated, like, an excuse. I’m not doing that at all,” he said. “It was my fault and I shouldn’t have said it.”

Lochte also said he was “not done with this sport” and wanted to swim again.

“If they give me that chance, I know I can turn this around,” he said.

His interview came a day after he posted an apology on Instagram.