'I Let My Team Down': Ryan Lochte Apologizes To Matt Lauer

(Photo: Twitter / @USAToday)Finally, the Team USA Swimming debacle seems to be coming to and end, [...]

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(Photo: Twitter / @USAToday)

Finally, the Team USA Swimming debacle seems to be coming to and end, hopefully.

Ryan Lochte sat down with Matt Lauer on Saturday, August 20th, and went into detail about how he felt about the situation:

I let my team down. I don't want them to think that I left and left them high and dry. They're my teammates. I wanted to be there, and I wanted to help out in any way I could, and so I wanted to make sure they were home safe before I talked. I'm embarrassed.

Basically, Lochte admitted to exaggerating his story with what really happened in the alleged confrontation between him, other Team USA swimmers and the Brazilian police. Lauer also asked Lochte a question we've all wondered, "why did you do it?" Lochte came back with this:

This is why I'm taking full responsibility for my actions. Because if I didn't overexaggerate the story to what I said when I did when it first happened with Billy Bush and yourself, and I told you the full story, none of this would have happened.

Lochte also responded to the fact that a gun was involved in the altercation:

Whether you call it a robbery, whether you call it extortion or us paying just for the damages — we don't know. All we know is, there was a gun pointed in our direction, and we were demanded to give money. There was a gun pointed in our direction, we were all frightened, and we wanted to get out of there as quick as possible.

With all of these details finally surfacing, the situation seems to be diffusing slowly. The Brazilian government, however, could stay latched on to this story since it has damaged their international image so bad.

Here is the full NBC interview between Lauer and Lochte.

[H/T The Hollywood Reporter, NBC]

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