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| Ryan Lochte: Speedo and Ralph Lauren among four to end sponsorship | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Four sponsors have dropped disgraced US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, including swimwear manufacturer Speedo and fashion label Ralph Lauren. | |
| They were followed by announcements from skin care firm Syneron-Candela and Japanese mattress maker Airweave. | |
| It comes after Lochte lied about being robbed at gunpoint by a policeman after a night out during the Rio Olympics. | |
| Lochte, a 12-time Olympic gold medalist, has earned millions of dollars through endorsements. | |
| Speedo, the biggest sponsor of the four, said: "We cannot condone behaviour that is counter to the values this brand has long stood for." | |
| Lochte, aged 32, said he respected Speedo's decision, and thanked the company. | |
| "I am grateful for the opportunities that our partnership has afforded me over the years,'' he said. | "I am grateful for the opportunities that our partnership has afforded me over the years,'' he said. |
| Ralph Lauren, which has removed some of Lochte's images from its website, said its sponsorship of the swimmer had been only for the Rio Olympics and would not be renewed. | |
| Ralph Lauren and Airweave both stressed that they would continue their support of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams. | |
| Syneron-Candela said: "We hold our employees to high standards, and we expect the same of our business partners.'' | |
| Speedo said it would donate a $50,000 portion of Lochte's sponsorship fee to the charity Save The Children's Brazilian operation. | Speedo said it would donate a $50,000 portion of Lochte's sponsorship fee to the charity Save The Children's Brazilian operation. |
| The value of Lochte's Speedo sponsorship has not been disclosed. The contract reportedly expires this year after 10 years. | The value of Lochte's Speedo sponsorship has not been disclosed. The contract reportedly expires this year after 10 years. |
| The US business magazine Forbes calculated that in the year of the 2012 London Olympics, Lochte earned about $2m in sponsorships from companies such as Gillette, Nissan, AT&T and Gatorade. | The US business magazine Forbes calculated that in the year of the 2012 London Olympics, Lochte earned about $2m in sponsorships from companies such as Gillette, Nissan, AT&T and Gatorade. |
| Lochte's performance at Rio did not reach the heights of his London triumph, but Forbes estimated his endorsements would still have been between $1m-$2m. | Lochte's performance at Rio did not reach the heights of his London triumph, but Forbes estimated his endorsements would still have been between $1m-$2m. |
| Disdain | Disdain |
| The saga started when Lochte and three team-mates returned to the Olympic village after a late night out in Rio. | The saga started when Lochte and three team-mates returned to the Olympic village after a late night out in Rio. |
| They tried, unsuccessfully, to use the locked toilet at a garage and urinated outside instead. | They tried, unsuccessfully, to use the locked toilet at a garage and urinated outside instead. |
| After first claiming that he and his three team-mates had been robbed by bogus policemen, Lochte back-tracked and admitted he had, while still drunk, "left details out" and "over-exaggerated some parts of the story". | After first claiming that he and his three team-mates had been robbed by bogus policemen, Lochte back-tracked and admitted he had, while still drunk, "left details out" and "over-exaggerated some parts of the story". |
| Despite the evidence against him, including CCTV footage, he has however denied that he actually lied in his initial account to Brazilian police. | Despite the evidence against him, including CCTV footage, he has however denied that he actually lied in his initial account to Brazilian police. |
| Lochte's behaviour has been met with disdain in the US and he has been widely pilloried in the US media. | Lochte's behaviour has been met with disdain in the US and he has been widely pilloried in the US media. |
| On 19 August the New York Post carried a front-page headline describing him as the "Ugly American", along with the slogan "Liar, Liar, Speedo on fire". | On 19 August the New York Post carried a front-page headline describing him as the "Ugly American", along with the slogan "Liar, Liar, Speedo on fire". |
| Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. | Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. |
| In Rio, he swam in two events, winning a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay along with team-mate Jack Conger. | In Rio, he swam in two events, winning a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay along with team-mate Jack Conger. |
| "We appreciate his many achievements and hope he moves forward and learns from this experience," Speedo said of Lochte. | "We appreciate his many achievements and hope he moves forward and learns from this experience," Speedo said of Lochte. |