Dear Ryan Lochte,
Though I'm not much of an athlete, you always used to be one of my favorites. When the Olympics would come on, or when anyone mentioned swimming, the first name that came to my mind was Ryan Lochte. Yes, even before the greatest Olympic medalist of all time, Michael Phelps. I didn't even care about your overall medal count over your whole swimming career (54-22-14), or even how fast you actually are in the pool. I just remember how relaxed you would appear in and out of the pool. I had a (minor) crush on you after watching your short-lived "What Would Ryan Lochte Do?" on E! where you would show off your "lifestyle" to an audience of probably just teenagers and young women.
But, what you did as of lately cannot begin to make up for your previous pursuits of entertaining me. When I first heard about the "robbery of four Olympians in Rio" case that popped up all over the news, and my news apps notifications, I was concerned. How did the Olympic Committee agree to have an Olympic event with so many countries here, though a country known for huge crime rates and poverty? I began to develop my stereotypical thoughts towards Rio being a city with criminals, and that maybe it was the same people that robbed the Australian team during their fire evacuation.
When officials began to delve more into you and your comrades' stories, they found more and more inconsistencies, though you and a teammate had already evacuated the country. I, though I had my concerns, just thought this was officials trying to do their job and find out the specifics of what happened so this could be prevented in the future.
But when they found huge inconsistencies, and actually talked to officers at the scene, I felt betrayed. It was clear that no matter how many times you and your conspirators tried to clear up what happened, it would never cover up the fact that you lied to the public, and your own mother. That you were robbed by "men dressed in police uniforms," when it was actually security officials doing their job and having you pay back for the damage you purposefully caused.
Ryan Lochte, something you need to know is that you are a role model, and above all, an adult. Having fun after winning a competition is one thing, but owning up to your actions, and not blatantly lying about performing illegal activity is another. Other Olympians, such as Gabby Douglas, don't have the same privilege as you do, and have done less reckless things, though have come under extreme criticism for their actions. So at this point, I have to say that I have lost my respect for you, and your immature ways. Hopefully, you will actually learn from your actions.
Your former fan,
Dalila
