Robbed

Officer in Charge of Traffic in Madang, Sergeant Frank Makora, was attacked while controlling traffic at the crossing near Modilon Hospital.

He said he hung his bag (bilum) with his personnel effects on a nearby wall when a thug grabbed his bag and ran towards the public cemetery.

"I was controlling the pedestrians when this happened. Bystanders informed me of my bag being snatched and I chased the thug," he said.

During the chase, the officer tripped and fell. The thug then punched him and took off again.

Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen were stopped by people posing as armed police, the US Olympic Committee (USOC) said in a statement.

The robbers demanded money and other personal belongings.

After reports emerged of the incident, the USOC initially denied that Lochte had been robbed.

"All four athletes are safe and co-operating with authorities," the USOC's statement said.

The group had been attending a party at the French Olympic team's hospitality house when their taxi was stopped on the way back to the athletes' village.