A member of Great Britain’s Olympic delegation was robbed at gunpoint early Tuesday morning while out in Rio de Janeiro, The Guardian reports.
A team spokesman confirmed the incident to The Huffington Post, saying that “All members of our delegation, including the individual concerned, are accounted for, and are safe and well.”
Reports did not include the identity of the victim or the exact location where the robbery took place.
The incident comes just days after Ryan Lochte and three other U.S. swimmers reported being robbed at gunpoint by men impersonating police officers. However, Brazilian sources told ABC on Thursday that the swimmers fabricated their story and that security camera footage showed them fighting with a gas station guard.
Two of those swimmers, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, were stopped for questioning Wednesday as they boarded a flight out of Brazil.
British officials responded to the alleged incident Tuesday morning with an e-mail to athletes warning them that it is “not worth the risk” to leave the Olympic village.
The letter specifies that athletes should “avoid leaving the village after dark in anything other than British Olympic Association/Local Organising Committee/UK Athletics transport – taxis cannot be considered safe late at night. If you are planning on going out after dark and have no way of returning other than via taxi, do not go out,” according to The Guardian.
The message cautions that athletes could be targeted if they are seen wearing their British team uniforms.
“Rio is NOT a safe environment, and the level of crime has spiked in the last few days,” the e-mail continues, according to The Guardian. “Think very carefully about whether it is worth the risk of leaving the village to celebrate after you have finished competing.”
