U.S. swimmers lied about robbery, should be held accountable : Brazil minister

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil’s Presidential Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha said on Thursday that U.S. Olympic swimmers had lied to Brazilian police about a robbery at the Rio de Janeiro Games and should be held accountable.

Rio’s civil police chief, Fernando Veloso, had earlier told a news conference that U.S. gold medalists Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen had lied about being robbed at gunpoint on Sunday morning along with two team mates.

Padilha also said funding was guaranteed for next month’s Paralymic Games.

(Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Daniel Flynn)