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Chinese Olympian robbed in Rio after thief pretended to be drunk, vomited on him

Shi Dongpeng was robbed in Rio in a bizarre ruse. (Getty)
Shi Dongpeng was robbed in Rio in a bizarre ruse. (Getty)

The Rio de Janeiro Olympics have still yet to commence, but we may already have a candidate for the most bizarre story to come out of Brazil.

According to reports, Chinese 110m hurdler Shi Dongpeng and his cameraman were robbed shortly after they arrived in Rio by a man who caught them off guard by pretending to be heavily intoxicated.

The International Sport Press Association reports that as Shi and his cameraman checked into their Rio hotel on Monday night, a man who appeared to be drunk rushed over to them and vomited on the hurdler. Shi then went to clean up and the cameraman went to catch the man. By the time they returned, the cameraman’s equipment had completely vanished.

Security footage revealed that the alleged drunk was just a decoy used to distract Shi and his cameraman while another man swiped their belongings.

Safety has been a major issue surrounding the Rio Olympics. Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported that police will take over security for the games after the private firm contracted for the job failed to provide enough staff.