U.S. swimmer Jimmy Feigen to pay $10,800 to leave Brazil
U.S. Olympic swimmer Jimmy Feigen will donate nearly $11,000 to a Brazilian charity, settling a dispute over a claimed robbery in Rio de Janeiro, his lawyer said.
Feigen's Rio lawyer, Breno Melaragno Costa, said the swimmer met with a judge and other officials at a police station and agreed to donate 35,000 Reals (about $10,800 USD) to Reaction Institute, a Brazilian charity, according to ABC News.
The attorney said Feigen's passport would be returned to him and he would be allowed to leave the country. The Associated Press reported that Costa said that Brazilian law allows for donations to be made in order to avoid prosecution for minor offenses, but did not elaborate on Feigen's charges.
Authorities have said that U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, Feigen and teammates Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were not robbed as they made their way back to the Olympic Village from a party on Sunday, as Lochte initially claimed.
Police say the swimmers vandalized a bathroom and were questioned by armed guards before paying for the damage and leaving the scene.
Lochte left Brazil earlier this week, and Bentz and Conger left the country after they were questioned further by authorities.
"That this is drawing attention away from Team USA's incredible accomplishments in the water and by other athletes across the Olympic Games is upsetting," USA Swimming said in a statement. "The athletes and their remarkable stories should be the focus."
The United States Olympic Committee said in a statement 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."
- Scooby Axson
