Days after losing all his major sponsors, American swimmer Ryan Lochte signed an endorsement deal with a company that made light of the scandal involving the U.S. Olympic athlete at the Rio Games.
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While there have been conflicting versions over whether the guards pulled their weapons on the swimmers, Lochte has since acknowledged he was highly intoxicated and that his behavior led to the confrontation.
Two other United States swimmers who were with him that night – Gunnar Bentz and Jack Congar – were stopped from boarding a plane to the United States until they had spoken to police.
The police statement said they had recommended that the courts issue a summons for the 32-year-old gold medal-winner to be questioned. Most of us figured that the moment Lochte was inside an airplane on his way back home, he was in the clear (at least I know I would’ve felt a whole lot better).
An extradition treaty exists between the United States and Brazil, but if Lochte is convicted USA authorities could also choose not to extradite the swimmer.
Lochte recently admitted that he “over-exaggerated” the story.
Rio police chief Fernando Veloso later told a news conference that the swimmers were not robbed but detained when they tried to flee after vandalizing a gas station bathroom.
Lochte’s initial story that he told to his mom and then NBC’s Billy Bush was that during the incident a gun was put to his head.
They requested an indictment also be sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Lochte had left Brazil the day after the incident at the petrol station took place.
AdWeek reports that Lochte will appear in both print and television ads for the brand, all of which will feature the tagline, “Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops: Forgiving On Your Throat”.
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You might be asking yourself: Why would Pine Bros. sponsor Ryan Lochte in the middle of a controversy?
