They had to pay a Cop for the damages at the site.Hello.The kids might have told a half truth to cover up.Nobody touches our kids and pulls them off planes.Take it up with the State department.
It could be very possible the US swimmers were being shaken down at the gas station by the security guard. The bathroom pic from the gas station doesn't look like it was damaged as bad as the Brazilian authorities are claiming.
If Brazil, or really South America in general, didn't have such a bad reputation for such things, I would try to be neutral until all the facts shake out. But since they have such a bad reputation for things like this happening to tourists, I'll trust the US swimmers until positively proven otherwise.
CGato