Rio Olympics 2016: Ryan Lochte admits he was drunk when he ‘over-exaggerated’ account of being robbed at gunpoint having vandalised Rio petrol station

DISGRACED American swimmer Ryan Lochte choked back the tears as he admitted he was DRUNK when he lied about being robbed at gunpoint.

The 32-year-old has come clean about his Rio shame and confessed that a gun was never pointed at his head after he and three fellow swimmers vandalised a petrol station.

In an emotional interview with American TV station NBC he has now conceded it was his "immature behaviour" that got him and his USA team-mates into trouble with the Rio police.

He initially claimed himself, James Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were robbed in the early hours of August 14 as they returned from a party.

The swimming quartet were then forced to pay for the damages they caused after it emerged they had merely been confronted by armed security guards.

Lochte, who has won six Olympic golds across four Games, also did and interview with Brazilian network Globo as he attempts to repent for his actions.

Lochte told NBC: "It's how you want to make it look. Whether you want to call it a robbery, whether you call it extortion, or us paying just for the damages.

"All we know is that there was a gun pointed in our direction and we were demanded to give money.

"We just wanted to get out of there. There was a gun pointed in our direction, we were all frightened and we wanted to get out of there as quick as possible.

"And the only way we knew was that this guy was saying 'you have to give them money' so we gave them money and we got out.

"That's why I'm taking full responsibility for it. I over-exaggerated that story and if I'd have never have done that, we wouldn't be in this mess.

"Those guys would never be in Rio. None of this would have happened.

"And it was my immature behaviour."

One of Lochte's fellow swimmers Feigen has agreed to pay £8,400 to a Brazilian charity after the incident following Bentz and Conger being hauled off a plane as they prepared to leave Rio.

They are all expected to face disciplinary action from the United States Olympic Committtee and USA Swimming.

A USOC spokesman said: "The behaviour of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members.

"We apologise to our hosts in Rio and the people of Brazil for this distracting ordeal in the midst of what should rightly be a celebration of excellence."