Brazil prosecutors seek stiffer fine for U.S. swimmer Feigen

[August 19, 2016]    RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian prosecutors said on Friday they were seeking a heavier fine for U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Jimmy Feigen for giving false testimony to police, after he had paid 35,000 reais to a charity as ordered by a Rio de Janeiro judge.

James Feigen of the U.S. reacts after winning the men's 100m freestyle semi-final during the World Swimming Championships at the Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona July 31, 2013. REUTERS/Albert Gea

A court spokeswoman said that Feigen had made the payment to a Rio sports charity and could now collect his passport from police and leave the country if he wished to do so.

A spokesman for prosecutors said the request for a heavier penalty would not prevent Feigen from flying out of Brazil. He is the last of four U.S. swimmers involved in a scandal over fabricating a story about a robbery who still remains in Brazil.

(Reporting by Brad Brooks and Brad Haynes; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Ossian Shine)

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