Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte revealed the emotional toll he went through after his 2016 Rio Olympics scandal, saying he felt like the "most hated man in the world."
Speaking on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast, the 12-time Olympic medalist detailed the emotional collapse that followed the backlash to his robbery story.
"I never wished I would kill myself, commit suicide, but I wished I went to sleep and never woke up," Lochte told Hannity. "Or I wish I went to an island and never saw anyone the rest of my life, because I would make the world a little better if I was just gone," he added.
During the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Lochte claimed he and fellow swimmers were robbed at gunpoint by men posing as police officers. Brazilian authorities pushed back against the narrative, revealing instead that an intoxicated Lochte and his teammates had vandalized a gas station bathroom and were asked to pay for the damages by armed security guards.
Lochte told Hannity that when he gave initial interviews about the incident, he was "still drunk" and panicked.
"I was just drunk, and I didn’t have my wallet, so I just kind of put two and two. I just was, yeah—they took my wallet," he said, adding, "Part of me was a little scared that a gun was pointed at me, and I just kind of freaked out."
The public fallout over the inconsistencies in his story became a national controversy, resulting in Lochte issuing a formal apology. He was suspended from competition for 10 months, lost major sponsorships and faced intense public backlash. The athlete described the days following the scandal as absolute "hell."
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"Worst feeling in the world. I was one of the most loved Olympians," Lochte said. "They all loved me because I was just so nice, just so humble. And then in the blink of an eye, I was the most hated man in the world."
Lochte said the public backlash and negative comments online deeply impacted his mental health, launching him into a severe depression.
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"There were so many times where I couldn’t get out of bed to go to the mailbox to get the mail because I was so freakin’ depressed with myself," he said. "I’d wake up every morning, look at myself in the mirror when I’m brushing my teeth or when I’m just waking up, and I’d say, ‘You’re a f------ loser. Like who are you?’ Just in disgrace. Defeat."
After years of battling substance abuse and depression, Lochte is turning a new corner. He took on a new role as an assistant swim coach at Missouri State University. Appearing on "Saturday in America" last month, he also discussed rededicating his life to God and getting baptized.
"God has changed everything for me," Lochte told Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany. "I'm finding who I am. I am being a better father, a better person and I just love the person that I've become now, and I owe it to God, and it is just [an] amazing feeling."
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