Speedo among four sponsors to dump Ryan Lochte after Rio disgrace

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:13 p.m. ET

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Brett Smiley

The United States athletes dominated the Rio Olympics in gold medals won and total medals, and also produced the single most ludicrous sideshow, edging by a decent margin the Mongolian wrestling coach who protested a call by stripping to his underwear.

Of course Team USA's fiasco starred swimmer Ryan Lochte, who falsely claimed that he and fellow swimmers were robbed at gunpoint. After security footage and fellow swimmers contradicted his account, Lochte non-apologized for perpetuating the story, then broadly apologized for the incident again but didn't get in to specifics.

His sponsors aren't impressed with the 12-time Olympic medalist's conduct or his apologies, and four of them decided to cut ties with him on Monday. The first and biggest would be swimsuit maker Speedo, which ended a decade-long relationship with Lochte in a statement that said the company cannot condone his behavior.

Speedo will also donate $50,000 that would have gone to Lochte to benefit the global charity Save the Children, with the funds earmarked for children in Brazil.

Ralph Lauren, whose deal covered the Rio Olympics only, joined the fray soon after:

Also dropping the disgraced swimmer were Japanese mattress maker Airweave, which last week said it would continue to support Lochte, and Gentle Laser Hair Removal.

In all, Lochte is reported to have lost $1 million in endorsements on Monday.

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