Could this be koko malaysia viral lucahthe start of a Ryan Lochte comeback?
The Olympic swimmer's reputation took a serious hit after Brazilian authorities discovered that he lied about being robbedat gunpoint during a night out with three of his teammates in Rio.
Following a lengthy investigation that proved Lochte had actually vandalized a gas station and been involved in an altercation with police at the scene, the athlete was dumped by four of his major sponsors: Speedo, Ralph Lauren, Gentle Hair Removal and Airweave.
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SEE ALSO: Ryan Lochte finally releases apology about his bizarre robbery story
On Thursday afternoon, Ryan Lochte announced he had signed a new endorsement deal with Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops -- because what better to help soothe Lochte's damaged reputation than some comforting throat drops?
An email to Mashable from Matthew Hiltzik, one of Lochte's publicists, said the 12-time Olympic medalist will be appearing in a series of both print and commercial ads shot in Los Angeles over the next few weeks, with the tagline: "Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops: Forgiving On Your Throat."
A press release from Pine Bros. stated that CEO Rider McDowell reached out to Lochte after hearing about last week’s incident. While this is clearly no Speedo deal, luckily for Lochte the company seems very forgiving. "Just as Pine Bros. is forgiving to your throat, the company asks the public for a little forgiveness for an American swimming legend," the company wrote.
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“We all make mistakes, but they're rarely given front-page scrutiny. He’s a great guy who has done incredible work with charities. I’m confident that Pine Bros. fans will support our decision to give Ryan a second chance," McDowell said.
Though Lochte secured himself a new sponsorship, on Thursday morning the athlete found himself in more hot water. MSNBCannounced that the swimmer will be summoned by authorities to attend a criminal hearing in Brazil as a result of the gas station altercation.
Apparently, if Lochte does not report to Brazil for the hearing, he "could be charged by the public prosecutor and likely charged in Brazil."
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At a press conference held on Aug. 18, Rio's Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso said Lochte and his teammate Jimmy Feigen could potentially be charged with falsely reporting a crime or for damaging property. Feigen has since settled the Rio robbery dispute by paying nearly $11,000 to a Brazilian charity.
According to The Associated Press, as of Thursday evening, Rio police have officially charged the swimmer with making a false robbery report.
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Unfortunately for Lochte, the authorities in Brazil don't seem to be as forgiving as Pine Bros.