Kellogg’s Drops Phelps Over Drugs
Cereal brand Kellogg’s is to end its sponsorship deal with record-breaking Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps following his admission to smoking marijuana after the Beijing Games.
The company said in a statement that it will not renew its contract with Phelps, which expires at the end of February.
The Michigan-based brand had placed Phelps’ image on boxes of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and Corn Flakes boxes.
‘Michael’s most recent behavior is not consistent with the image of Kellogg,’ said Kellogg spokesperson Susanne Norwitz in a statement.
The exact worth of the deal to Phelps is not known although Kellogg’s is one of a number of brands to align themselves with the swimmer following his unprecedented success in winning eight gold medals in Beijing.
Phelps has been suspended from competition for three months after photographs were published appearing to show him smoking cannabis in UK newspaper the News of the World last week.
Read a USA Swimming statement: ‘This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated. But we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero.
‘Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust.’
