The UK-based Speedo International took only a ‘brief’ time to ‘undress’ the Ryan Lochte incident and ‘expose’ their feelings on the we-were-burgled-at-gunpoint story that turned into nope, we actually just trashed a gas station bathroom. The swim brief manufacturer announced today that they are ending their relationship with the 32-year-old competitive swimmer.
In case you missed it, Lochte and his cohorts cooked up a story to the Rio press, telling authorities and officials that they were accosted and robbed after being forced out of a taxi, at gunpoint, in the early morning hours.
Lochte flew the coop back to the United States, but his teammates,held back in Rio after the Olympics,ratted him out.
Not victims… vandals
Instead of being mugged, the swimmers admitted to getting drunk, ripping a soap dispenser off a bathroom wall, busting a mirror, pissingnowhere near the toiletand then tossing some cash at a security attendant to make up for it. Reminiscentof when an equally juvenile group of athletes – American NHL players sore about losing the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano – decided they would toss chairs off their balconies and run around emptying fire extinguishers into the nighttime Japan sky.
Instead of being a victim, Lochte admitted in an Instagram “I’m sorry” letter – as well as in a tearful interview with Matt Lauer – that he “over-exaggerated” the robbery story.
In other words, he flat-out lied, but yeah the euphemized phrase over-exaggerated does sit so much better on the fractured conscience.
Speedo says they are done with Ryan
Speedo on the other hand was very unambiguous. They are done with Lochte. In an emailed statement to the media, the swimwear maker said they will end their sponsorship of Ryan Lochte, sever their contract withthe Olympic medal winnerand donate $50 grand of Lochte’s earnings to a Brazilian-based Save The Children charity.
“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 statement read, in part.
Lochte also has sponsorships with Ralph Lauren and Airweave. Never wanting to be the company that appears to excuse the idiotic behavior, look for these businesses to dump Lochte too.
