Lochtegate Overshadows Olympic Games

Ryan Lochte swims in Rio

Associated Press

Despite excitement surrounding the Final Five and Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte managed to divert attention away from American achievements at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, thanks to his alleged lie about being robbed at gunpoint while in Rio.

Overall, 48% of business professionals said Ryan Lochte’s robbery scandal was the big story of the 2016 Summer Games, according to an Office Pulse Summer Olympic Survey. Since leaving Rio, Lochte has been charged with filing a false report after the swimmer initially said he and three teammates were robbed at gunpoint. Brazilian police say the swimmer vandalized a gas station bathroom.

What do you think was the big story of the 2016 Summer Olympics?

Zika: 3%
Michael Phelps retiring: 5%
USA winning the most medals: 11%
USA women’s gymnastics team: 24%
Ryan Lochte’s robbery scandal: 48%
Not sure: 8%

Should the four USA swimmers face consequences for their actions?

Yes, all four should be penalized: 63%

No, just the one who committed the vandalism: 32%

No, it’s not a big deal: 5%

In a pre-Olympic survey by Office Pulse, 35% predicted that the Zika virus would dominate Olympic headlines, yet zero cases have been reported.

Other insights include:

  • 82% believe Lochte wasn’t being sincere with his apology after the incident
  • 63% said all four Team USA swimmers should face consequences for their actions
  • 62% think the incident “tarnishes” Team USA in the Olympics arena

Lochte has been dropped by several sponsors following the incident.

Does the alleged Rio robbery controversy change your opinion of Ryan Lochte?

0%
Yes
0%
No

About Office Pulse

Office Pulse by Captivate offers marketers timely analysis and insights from a proprietary panel of upscale professionals in the top markets. The Office Pulse panel of more than 8,000 influential consumers and business decision makers includes C-level executives, Millennials, middle management, small business owners, working women and working moms.

About Captivate

Known for its vast network of nearly 12,000 elevator displays located in 1,600 premier office buildings across North America, Captivate connects advertisers with 13 million unique monthly viewers through creative, research-driven and Nielsen-measured advertising and marketing programs. By engaging its viewers with timely news and actionable information that helps balance the personal and professional demands of the workday, Captivate provides advertisers with a highly desirable and difficult-to-reach audience of affluent and influential business professionals. Founded in 1997, Captivate is owned by Generation Partners. For more information, please visit www.captivate.com.