Lochte sorry for behavior in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO - U.S. gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte on Friday apologized for his behavior at the Olympics after being accused by Brazilian police of inventing a story about an armed robbery to cover for bad behavior at a gas station.

"I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself, and for that am sorry to my team mates," he said on Instagram.

Lochte, together with fellow U.S. swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, are accused of having fabricated a story about being robbed by gunmen posing as policemen.

Surveillance footage and an investigation by Brazilian authorities showed that they had vandalized a gas station bathroom and had handed over money to armed security guards who had prevented them from leaving.

In his apology, Lochte, 32, described the night as "traumatic".

"It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country - with a language barrier - and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave," he said.

"But regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my team mates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event."

Lochte, Bentz and Conger have returned to the United States, while Feigen was still in Brazil on Friday morning. Feigen had agreed to pay $11,000 to a Brazilian charity, police said. His passport would be released upon providing a receipt.

It was unclear what, if any, agreement Lochte had made with Brazilian authorities. After arriving in North Carolina on Tuesday, the swimmer has not been seen, apart from giving an interview with Matt Lauer on the "Today Show", which is yet to be aired.

He ended his apology posted Thursday by saying: "There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend, so I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performances of these Games and look ahead to celebrating future successes."

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Djokovic stands between Murray and second gold

ISLAMABAD - Britain's Andy Murray, bristling with confidence after ending a three-year wait for another grand slam title at Wimbledon, will seek to make history in Brazil by becoming the first man to win successive Olympic gold medals in men's singles tennis.

But to replicate his London Olympics triumph Murray will need to find a chink in the armour of Novak Djokovic, the proud Serb who has dominated men's tennis in recent years and now has his eye on the only major honour to elude him.

In recent years Murray has struggled to hold his own in the rivalry against childhood friend Djokovic, who defeated him in the 2016 Australian and French Open finals to became the first man since 1969 to hold all four grand slam titles at once.

Djokovic's maiden French Open title elevated the Serb, a winner of 12 grand slams, to the pantheon of tennis greats but a lacklustre third-round exit at Wimbledon has offered hope to Murray and his other rivals that his dominance may be ebbing.

"Winning medals for your country is as good as it gets," said Murray, who in 2012 became the first Briton in 104 years to win a men's singles gold medal at Olympics.

Three-time grand slam winner Murray will be hoping to improve on his 24-10 career match record against Djokovic in Brazil, where the two men are favourites to take gold.

Roger Federer's hopes of winning a men's singles Olympics gold to go with the doubles title he won in 2008 look to be at an end, however, after the 34-year-old pulled out of Rio -- and the rest of the season -- to undergo rehabilitation on his left knee.

In the women's game, 22-time grand slam winner Serena Williams is hot favourite to retain the Olympic singles gold that she won for the first time in 2012.

Williams, who won three Olympic doubles gold medals with sister Venus, underscored her dominance of the women's game this month by lifting her seventh Wimbledon title.

Germany's Angelique Kerber and Spain's Garbine Muguruza have contested the last four grand slam finals against Williams and are expected to be her main challengers in Rio.

But Russia's Maria Sharapova, who lost to Williams in the 2012 final, will miss Rio as she is still serving a two-year ban for failing a drugs test. (Reporting by Drazen Jorgic,; Editing by Neville Dalton)

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Jenner's offer to be 'trans ambassador' for Cruz draws some fire

LOS ANGELES - Reality star Caitlyn Jenner's offer to be a "trans ambassador" to U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz drew criticism on Friday from some members of the LGBT community, but major transgender rights organizations stayed out of the fray.

Jenner told gay and lesbian publication The Advocate in an interview posted this week that she admired Cruz despite the social conservative's stance on transgender issues.

The 66-year-old Olympic gold medalist turned television personality called Cruz a "great constitutionalist" and said she would like to advise him on questions relating to her community.

"Yes, trans ambassador to the president of the United States, so we can say, 'Ted, love what you're doing but here's what's going on,'" Jenner, who last year became the most high-profile American to transition to a different gender, told The Advocate.

The muted reaction to Jenner's support for Cruz appeared to show the high level of esteem she enjoys in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. But that did not stop some of its members speaking out.

"Doing my best to not send tweets to a woman I respect for her courage, but dang it, @Caitlyn_Jenner you're killing me with Cruz support!" Chely Wright, the first country music star to come out as gay, wrote in a post on Twitter.

Some in the LGBT community took a more pointed stand, citing Cruz's opposition to same-sex marriage and his criticism of government efforts to allow students to use a bathroom that conforms to their gender identity.

In January, at a campaign stop in Iowa, Cruz said "inflicting" transgender students on teachers by allowing them to use a faculty restroom in line with their gender identity was better than having them share a bathroom with other students, according to video from NBC News.

Zack Ford, the LGBT editor at ThinkProgress, a website affiliated with the left-leaning Center for American Progress, wrote in a post that Jenner's support for Republicans like Cruz taints her "credibility."

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said Jenner's comments highlight the fact a significant share of transgender people are Republicans.

"One would hope that transgender people would support philosophies that are helpful and not harmful to trans people," she said, adding that Jenner might have taken that into consideration before offering her support to Cruz.

A representative for the gay rights group GLAAD declined to comment and a spokeswoman for Cruz could not be reached. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis and Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Andrew Hay)

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Bruce Jenner has told the Kardashians he is transgender: People

Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner has told family members, including reality TV personalities the Kardashians, that he is becoming a woman and they have pledged their support, People magazine reported on Wednesday.

The 65-year-old former decathlete, who according to published reports will star in an upcoming reality series documenting his transition, made the revelation to his ex-wife Kris Jenner, his children and her sons and daughters from a previous marriage.

"Bruce told them everything - where things stood, what his plans were for the future, and what everyone could expect," a source identified by People as a "family insider" told the magazine. "Everyone basically knew what was up, but it was still a shock to hear it outlined so explicitly."

The source told People that all of Jenner's family members "came around pretty quickly" to the news, adding: "All they want is for him to be happy."

News website Buzzfeed.com has reported that Jenner, who won a gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, would come out as transgender in an interview with TV personality Diane Sawyer on ABC.

Buzzfeed and other entertainment news outlets have also reported that Jenner would star in a reality TV show about his transition on the E! television network.

Representatives for ABC and for E! have declined to comment on those reports to Reuters. Jenner's agent Brian Dow did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Kim Kardashian hinted to TV program "Entertainment Tonight" last week that Jenner was "going through" something. "I feel like that's his journey to talk about," she said.

The Kardashian sisters, and their brother, are from Kris Jenner's previous marriage to Robert Kardashian.

Jenner's website, brucejenner.com, contains only a message saying that content would be coming soon and offering a contact for personal appearances, speaking engagements and "public awareness campaigns."

Since 2007 members of the Kardashian family, including Jenner's daughters, have starred in a popular reality TV series on E! "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" that have turned them into household names and tabloid fodder.

The story can be viewed here: here,,20898548,00.html

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Andrew Hay)

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Michael Phelps arrested on drunken driving charge

WASHINGTON - American swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, was arrested for drunken driving early on Tuesday after speeding and then crossing the double-lane lines inside a Baltimore tunnel, police said.

The 18-time Olympic gold medalist later apologized for the incident, saying he was "deeply sorry to everyone I have let down."

Police said Phelps, 29, was clocked by radar around 1:40 a.m. traveling 84 miles per hour (135 kph) in a 45-mph (72-kph) zone. He was booked and released.

Phelps, who has won 22 Olympic medals and appears to be eyeing a spot on the U.S. team for the 2016 Olympics, was "unable to perform satisfactorily a series of standard field sobriety tests," authorities said, adding he failed a Breathalyzer test.

Police said an officer followed Phelps's 2014 Land Rover onto northbound Interstate 95, through the Fort McHenry Tunnel under Baltimore Harbor, and pulled him over just beyond the tunnel's toll plaza. Authorities said the Baltimore-area native was cooperative.

"Earlier this morning, I was arrested and charged with DUI (driving under the influence), excessive speeding and crossing double lane lines," Phelps said in a statement.

"I understand the severity of my actions and take full responsibility," he added. "I know these words may not mean much right now but I am deeply sorry to everyone I have let down."

The drunken-driving arrest was the second for Phelps, who has spent most his life working feverishly in the pool but admits he likes to have a good time outside of practice and competition.

Emerging recently from a two-year retirement, Phelps first tested the comeback waters in April at a low-key meet in Phoenix and his progress has been steady rather than his usual impressive.

'UNQUESTIONABLY SERIOUS'

USA Swimming, the national team's governing body, said: "The news regarding Michael Phelps and his actions are disappointing and unquestionably serious.

"We expect our athletes to conduct themselves responsibly in and out of the pool," it said in a statement.

"I was shocked at the news, to say the least," Dara Torres, a 12-time Olympic medalist who has been on several Olympic and national swim teams with Phelps, told Reuters in a telephone interview. "He was very fortunate that no one was hurt. He's a good guy. He does work for kids. He does charity work.

"He could have given the keys to someone. He could have called Uber, a taxi. He has the means to do stuff like that. I just don't understand it," she said.

The U.S. Olympic Committee said it was "surprised by today's news."

"We are disappointed on a number of fronts, but want to give Michael Phelps and USA Swimming an opportunity to comment before saying anything more," the USOC said in a statement.

Phelps was charged in Maryland in 2004 for drunken driving when he was 19. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while impaired in exchange for 18 months' probation.

Phelps was contrite following his first drunken driving arrest a decade ago.

"I recognize the seriousness of the mistake I made," he told the judge in 2004. "It is wrong to drink when you're under age. It's wrong to drive when you've had anything to drink, no matter how old you are."

In 2009, British tabloids published a photo of Phelps smoking from a marijuana pipe while at a party at the University of South Carolina.

"I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again," Phelps said at the time.

(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg; Editing by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney)

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Cuban boxer Gamboa suffers first career loss

Cuban boxer Yuriorkis Gamboa, a former Olympic gold medalist, suffered the first loss of his professional career when he was knocked out by Terence Crawford in a lightweight title fight Saturday in the latter’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.

The 32-year-old Gamboa had a 23-0 record, but was coming off a year-long break. He still got off to a better start, using his boxing skills and speed advantage to build a lead on the cards.

But the tide turned in the fifth round, when Crawford dropped Gamboa for the first time in the fight after landing a right hand that dazed the Cuban, then a left hand that sent him to the canvas.

Gamboa survived the round, but was still clearly hurt. He took a knee in the eighth round but managed to score in the ninth with a huge punch that rocked Crawford.

Crawford later admitted that he did not see Gamboa’s punch in the ninth round coming, but came roaring back as he floored the Cuban twice more in the round.

After the fourth knockdown, the referee waved off the fight and called a stop to the contest at the 2:53 mark of the ninth round.

With the victory, Crawford retained his WBO lightweight title.

Gamboa, who was fighting at lightweight for only the second time in his career, saw his record drop to 23-1.

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