With Brazilian officials STILL trying to prosecute Ryan Lochte over the infamous gas station incident during the '16 Olympics in Rio ... his lawyer says the whole thing is "absurd and disgusting."
Prosecutors have gotten the green light to try Lochte for spreading false information to the media about what really went down when Ryan told NBC he and other athletes were robbed at gunpoint.
Officials said Lochte made the story up to cover up what really happened -- security guards confronted the group after they vandalized a gas station.
Lochte later said he wasn't lying -- and described it as an "over exaggeration."
A panel of judges had previously ruled that Lochte's actions did not constitute a crime -- but a different court sees it differently and will allow prosecutors to move forward with a case against him.
We spoke with Lochte's attorney, Jeff Ostrow, who says the whole thing is a joke -- and Lochte "would never be treated this way in this country."
As for the chances of Lochte returning to Brazil to face the charges, Ostrow says they're keeping their options open ... but you gotta think there's no chance in hell Ryan's going back to Brazil.