Brazilian police pulled two US Olympic swimmers off a US-bound plane in connection with their claim that they were victims of an armed mugging, officials said on Wednesday.

"We can confirm that Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from their flight to the United States by Brazilian authorities," said Patrick Sandusky, spokesman for the US Olympic Committee.

The two were with star US swimmer Ryan Lochte and fellow squad member James Feigen when, they later said, they were robbed at gunpoint early on Sunday.