LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13 (UPI) — U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte‘s debut performance on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” was interrupted by protesters during Monday’s live show.
Lochte was receiving the judges’ scores when two men ran up on stage wearing t-shirts with Lochte’s name crossed out. At least four others in the audience yelled things at the swimmer.
The protesters and a scuffle could be heard off camera, but the incident was never seen on ABC’s live feed. The show quickly went to a commercial break.
After the break, host Tom Bergeron said there was an “incident” and thanked the show’s security for “staying in shape” and tackling and removing the protesters.
Lochte later told ABC 7 News, “We thought it was a joke, something prior to the show, you know. Then, when we realized it wasn’t, that hurt. It broke my heart that people are still on that subject and no one is moving forward.”
Lochte created an international incident during the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games when he lied about being robbed to cover up vandalism he and other members of the U.S. Olympic swim team allegedly committed at a gas station in Brazil.
