The International Olympics Committee (IOC) have denied that that Team USA swimmer Ryan Lochte was held at gunpoint while attending a party in Rio. Fox News Australia and USA Today both reported that Lochte had been robbed while attending a party, IOC spokesman Mark Adams told AP that "the story is absolutely not true" and was "a false story".

Fox Sports Australia reported that Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira invited Lochte to a party to celebrate the end of the swimming program on Saturday night. But Lochte was threatened with a gun while there.

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Lockte later spoke to his mother, Ileana, who detailed the incident to USA Today. She described how Lochte and his friends had been accosted by a group holding knives and guns, and her son had his wallet stolen.

"I think they're all shaken up. There were a few of them," she said. "No, they were just, they just took their wallets and basically that was it."

She also described the incident as "terrifying" in her interview with Fox Sports News.

Iliana said she was meeting up with her son in person on Sunday (14 August) to make sure he was unhurt. The swimmer is said to be back with his teammates.

Team USA's pole vaulter Jenn Suhr later said: "I'm just glad they're safe… when you're in another country you don't know of, it's not the smartest idea to go places you're unsure of."

However, despite the IOC denying the event took place, Rio 2016 spokesman Mario Andrada said during a press briefing on Sunday, 14 August, that the event's organising committee was investigating what had happened.

"We just had a quick report that there was an issue with [Lochte], but we didn't have the detail that he was held at gunpoint," said Andrada. "We are waiting for more information. We will give an update as soon as we have one from security and from USOC [US Olympic Committee]."

Lochte is the second most decorated male swimmer in Olympic history, with his 12 medals putting him behind only US teammate Michael Phelps, who has won 22 gold medals.

"I definitely want to come back in the sport," Lochte said. "I'm not done yet. There are a lot more goals that I want to accomplish, so I guess you can say that I'll definitely be back in the water for 2020."

Previously, the 32-year-old was best known for dying his hair platinum blonde, which then turned green.

"There's been a lot of talk about it," Lochte told People on Saturday 13 August. "Don't ask me what colour it is, because I still don't know. I'm still trying to get that."

"It first started out as light bluish gray, and then it went to green. Now it's going back to blue, so it's all over the place."

In a further embarrassment to Brazil, the IOC and the Rio 2016 organising committee the security chief of the 2016 Olympics was attacked while walking to his car. Felipe Seixas was near the Maracana Stadium on Saturday, 7 August, when he was surrounded by four men with knives. A policeman shot dead one of the would-be robbers and the others escaped. Seixas had arranged for 10,00 security forces to guard the Olympic event.

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