New York Post

Lochte does suck

Lyin’ Ryan will endorse cough drops

- By CLAIRE ATKINSON

Disgraced Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is putting his money where his mouth is.

Less than a week after four corporate sponsors dropped him over his Rio ruckus, Lochte has inked a deal with Pine Bros. cough drops.

The Pebble Beach, Calif.-based company has become known for its quirky spokespers­ons.

In 2013, it inked a deal with Martha Stewart and in 2014 featured rapper Waka Flocka Flame in a 30-second TVspot.

Lochte made internatio­nal headlines this month after he falsely claimed that Rio thieves posing as cops robbed him and three other swimmers at gunpoint.

He later admitted he embellishe­d much of the tale — which apparently evolved from a gas station disturbanc­e in which the group may have damaged part of a bathroom.

The tall tale led to four corporate partners dropping the 32-year-old 12-time Olympic medal winner.

In the Pine Bros. print and TVads, Lotche will poke fun at his antics, sources said.

Pine Bros. Chief Executive Rider McDowell said he signed Lochte to protest what he deems an overreacti­on by corporate America.

“People in the corporate world have a reflex and they go overboard,” McDowell told The Post. “This is so overboard for the transgress­ion of a frat party event gone wrong.

“I watched this guy and I saw the way the worm turned on him,” McDowell said.

After Lochte came clean about the incident, swimsuit maker Speedo USA, designer Ralph Lauren Corp., skincare firm Syneron-Candela and Japanese mattress maker Air weave all dumped him.

Terms of the Pine Bros. deal were not disclosed — but McDowell said it was a “significan­t investment” and “up there” with the Martha Stewart deal.

The domestic diva was paid an estimated $1 million.

Lochte is rumored to be headed for a stint on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and is fielding other sponsorshi­ps.

The USOC is still investigat­ing Lochte, and the swimmer could face a suspension.

 ??  ?? Pine Bros. cough drops is floating new sponsor riches to Olympian Ryan Lochte.
Pine Bros. cough drops is floating new sponsor riches to Olympian Ryan Lochte.

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