During the second week of the Rio Olympics Ryan Lochte and three other swimmers told police they had been robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, a story that even Lochte’s mother confirmed to be true.

Lochte told The Today show that he had been robbed at gun point by people who were impersonating police officers. He also said that the cop impersonators pointed a gun to his forehead after Lochte refused to get on the ground and that they took the swimmers wallets but suspiciously left their credentials.

A week later, video surfaced about an incident that happened at a gas station. Lochte and the other swimmers were shown urinating on the floor and breaking a sign outside of a bathroom. The swimmers were then stopped by security guards who were forcing them to pay for the damages, eventually Lochte and the swimmers paid.

Many people in the media and on social media had split opinions on how Lochte lied. Many came to the support of Locate and many referred to him as a “Kid” as if he were excused for what he did solely on his age. However, he is 32 years old and is no young man.

This fiasco happened just a week after olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas was called out on social media after she was pictured not putting her hand over her heart during the national anthem.

The contrasting attitudes on social media towards both these olympians shows a clear image of white privilege.

The events showed how people will come to the defense of a middle aged white man for vandalizing property in a country that has it’s own problems of corruption and poverty. Although companies such as Speedo and Ralph Lauren have pulled their sponsorship of Lochte,  American culture continues to protect their default image of themselves.

The problem with this mess is that Lochte and the other swimmers destroyed property in a country that is not theirs then proceeded to use a stigma about developing countries to gain sympathy.

Lochte lied and there is no excuse for what he did.