Tiger Woods dropped by Gatorade after infidelity admission
Tiger Woods dropped by Gatorade after infidelity admission
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By Tom Powell. |  |
Saturday, 27, Feb 2010 10:37
By Lewis Bazley.
US drinks manufacturer Gatorade has become the latest high-profile firm to cancel its sponsorship of disgraced golfer Tiger Woods over his infidelity.
The energy drink brand follows AT&T and Accenture in cutting its ties with the golf star after his once squeaky clean public image was all but irrevocably damaged after he admitted being unfaithful to his wife Elin Nordgren, with at least 14 women claiming to have had an affair with the father of two.
Gatorade spokeswoman Jennifer Schmit said: "We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship.
"We wish him all the best."
Ms Schmit stressed the firm would continue to work with the Tiger Woods Foundation, the golfer's charitable organisation for disadvantaged children.
While some of Woods' other sponsors, including Gillette and TagHeur, have maintainted their contract with the golfer but removed him from current advertising campaigns, Nike and videogames developer Electronic Arts have confirmed their support for the American.
"We didn't form a relationship with him so that he could act as an arm's length endorser," commented EA Sports president Peter Moore.
Woods ended a self-imposed exile last week to read a statement of apology in front of a hand-picked audience, confirmed he had spent 45 days in a rehabilitation clinic in a bid to curb his adulterous behaviour.
"I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable," he stressed.
A recent University of California study suggested the revelations of Woods' infidelity could cost the golfer and his commercial partners an estimated $12 billion.