Brazilian police have charged the American swimmer Ryan Lochte with filing a false report about being robbed at gunpoint during the Olympics. Under Brazilian law the penalty carries a maximum penalty of 6 months in jail.

Lochte can decide whether to introduce a defense in Brazil, a police statement said, adding that the indictment will also be sent to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ethics commission.

"Once he is summoned, whether he turns up or not, the penalty is the same: one to six months' prison," the news website G1 Rio quoted police official Clemente Braune saying.

The swimmer's spokeswoman, Melissa Nathan, said Lochte had no comment. Lochte apologized last week for saying that he and three teammates had been mugged on their way back from an all-night party by robbers pretending to be police.

(DW)