In further fallout following the Rio gas station incident involving American swimmers Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, longtime Lochte sponsor Speedo USA has announced it is ending its relationship with the 2nd most decorated swimmer of all-time.
In an official statement released via media outlets, Speedo states the following:
Speedo USA today announces the decision to end its sponsorship of Ryan Lochte. As part of this decision, Speedo USA will donate a $50,000 portion of Lochte’s fee to Save The Children, a global charity partner of Speedo USA’s parent company, for children in Brazil. While we have enjoyed a winning relationship with Ryan for over a decade and he has been an important member of the Speedo team, we cannot condone behavior that is counter to the values this brand has long stood for. We appreciate his many achievements and hope he moves forward and learns from this experience.
The discontinuation of Lochte’s sponsorship also comes in the wake of the United States Olympic Committee possibly seeking further disciplinary action against the foursome. Speaking to the media yesterday, Scott Blackmun, the USOC CEO, announced further action would be taken against the swimmers, although no details were given at this point.
“They let down our athletes,” Blackmun said. “They let down Americans.
“And they really let down our hosts in Rio who did such a wonderful job, and we feel very badly about that. I think we ended up in the right place in terms of being able to shine a light on what really happened there.”
You can hear Lochte’s description of the gas station series of events in his interview with NBC here.
I think the USA and all the sponsors that have left Lochte are totally correct! That was an exemplary disciplinary punishment for all American Olympic athletes not to dare to shame their country as he did. The USA as a nation was humiliated by his coward and shameful attitude. The image of all Americans has been blurred once again. He should be expelled from the Olympic Team once for all. He has badly offended and underestimated Brazil as a country, our police and our people. Shame on him! Face the consequences now and stop shaming the USA and the Olympic athletes!
Note: Doesn’t mean it’s permanent. Just obviously not now.
Phelps was coming off an 8 medal performance in Sydney and most believed he would at least duplicate that 4 years later in Athens. Turns out they got another 16 Olympic medals out of their troubled athlete who also stuck with their inferior suit in 2009 to be loyal to his sponsor.
Not saying it’s right or wrong, but bottom line is if there’s $$ to made then a company will overlook some indiscretions. Even those that violate poor innocent Brazil.
What on earth are you talking about?
Sydney was 2000, Athens was 2004.
Fact is the the Vandalism amounted to a torn sandwich poster! Peeing in the Bushes. Almost every male out drinking late one night has done that! So the Security Guard’s point their loaded Gun (someone could have been killed) and demand money for that. Give me a break, this was a simple shake-down. Happens to many American’s who travel almost any where in South America. Police are lying about what happened even more than Ryan did!
I understand many of you don’t like Ryan, most of you can only dream of accomplishing 1/100 of what he has. But I don’t need to bring someone down to make me feel better about myself, but its clear many of you do. That’s… Read more »
Another one who just don’t get it.
Newsflash: It’s never been about peeing in bushes and torning down sandwich poster.
Attila is right. It has always been about the broken door to the bathroom. If the Brazilians had been honest from the beginning and told us the Americans did nothing worse than tear down a poster and pee in the bushes they would have looked like idiots for making such a big fuss about Lochte not mentioning he tore down a poster and they peed in the bushes. In order to demonize Lochte the Brazilians had to lie–and then if the truth came out the Brazilians could count on people who had condemned Lochte to grab on any flimsy excuse rather than admit they were wrong. The world sees the Brazilians as victims here, but unfortunately for the Brazilians the… Read more »
Poor whittle whying lying “whyanne” him gots ta work fer the pizza shop spinning one of the signs wearing a statue of liberty outfit. Him say “Why me?? I am Whyanne Woockte, why nobody whyike me nomo??”
He is not the only athlete who has made a mistake or several mistakes. It is over, Ryan doesn’t need to be crucified for what he did..He has been one of the best ambassadors for swimming in the last 8 years… He made swimming fun . I for one will boycott any sponsors who drop Ryan..
Well, now I have to give those companies more business to make up for your boycott! Maybe I’ll double your boycott.
You should buy a dozen LRZ’s just to show her.
This isn’t about what he did or didn’t do, nor is it about whether he can still swim at the highest levels. It’s not a comparison to what Michael Phelps did. This IS about the embarrassment he has caused. To Brazil, the United States, USA Swimming, NBC, Speedo, Ralph Lauren, etc. This won’t be easy to come back from.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/08/21/investigation-ryan-lochte-rio-olympics-authorities/89082232/
If anyone cares about the truth…
Read Sportsagent 85 comment below. It’s no longer about the details on what happened at the gas station. Lochte lied and left the country while the prelim relay swimmers were left behind. Lochte embarrassed his sport on its biggest stage, as well as his country, sponsors and teammates. All sponsors will walk. Lochte is toxic for their business. I hope Lochte can find a way forward in his life and be able to step away from competitive swimming.
Is it about that or has the narrative changed as the other parts of the story emerge? This is the last thing to cling onto in the onslaught against Lochte.
Is Swimswam ever going to report on this article? There are 4 of our swimmers/citizens lives who are being irrevocably altered by this whole thing. Surely if any news site would give these 4 men at least a chance of rehabilitating their names even a bit, especially Conger and Bentz, Swimswam should do it. Conger and Bentz violated team curfew, got drunk and peed behind a building. That is what they should be judged on and face consequences on. Has no other Olympic athlete ever violated curfew and gotten drunk when the competition is over? Amanda Beard wrote all about it her autobiography. No one has suggested that she is the devil incarnate. Is that really deserving of the vilification… Read more »
My post keeps getting removed by SwimSwam that news has come out that the Rio police fabricated much of their story as well.
Never mind, I had the oldest first. Sorry about that.