**UPDATED: Sunday 14th at 7.04pm**
American swimmer Ryan Lochte has been held up at gunpoint in Rio, according to reports.
The reports are unconfirmed but Ben Way from Fox Sports news tweeted about the incident and says that Lochte said the event was "terrifying" in a phone call to his mother just minutes after.
BREAKING: @USASwimming Gold medallist Ryan Lochte has been held up at gunpoint at a party in Brazil.
Details on @FOXSportsNews 500.— Ben Way (@BenWayFOX) August 14, 2016
Lochte invited by Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira, and is now safe at @USASwimming base. @FOXSportsNews told 3 teammates were with him.
— Ben Way (@BenWayFOX) August 14, 2016
Lochte called his mother Ileana immediately afterwards. She told @FOXSportsNews it was "terrifying" and has just left her hotel to meet him.
— Ben Way (@BenWayFOX) August 14, 2016
The 32-year-old had just helped Team USA claim gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
A new update reveals that Lochte was in fact robbed at gunpoint despite an initial denial by the IOC.
Lochte, along with Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, were targeted as they made their way back to the Olympic Village in the early hours of Sunday morning.
In a statement, USOC said: "Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes' money and other personal belongings."
All of the men are said to be safe and co-operating with the authorities.
"(We) got pulled out in our taxi and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge. No lights, no nothing, just a police badge. They pulled us over, uh, they pulled out their guns. They told the other swimmers to get down on the ground, they got down on the ground. I refused. I was like 'We didn't do anything wrong so I'm not getting down on the ground,'" according to a report in The Score.
"And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and said 'get down.' I was like (puts hands up) I put my hands up. I was like 'whatever.' He took our money, he took my wallet..."
Lochte says the thieves robbed his money but not his cell phone or Olympic credentials.
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