14 DAY TRIAL // Michael Phelps, once America’s golden boy for his impressive run at the Beijing Olympics, is now starting to feel the aftershocks of the “bong incident.” While yesterday, the USA Swimming federation suspended him for three months and Kellog’s announced the sponsorship with him would not be renewed, today it’s Subway that is said to be considering pulling the plug on the endorsement deal.
Subway signed Phelps in November and, while nothing has been made official yet, it seems that it is determined to pull the plug on the contract even before it comes to an end, as BuzzNewsRoom reports. All references to Phelps have disappeared from the Subway website and sources speak that the sponsor is so angry at the bong scandal that it’s considering asking for the endorsement money back from the swimmer.
“Confidentially, the Subway webteam gave us the heads up – Michael Phelps has been remmed out, de-linked, due to his recent one toke over the line. Other Subway ‘celebrity friends’ are still listed, like Jared, Ryan Howard and Reggie Bush – but they have been told to officially de-link all references featuring Michael.” BuzzNewsRoom informs. A spokesperson for Subway has also been contacted but, from what she’s saying, no decision regarding the contract has yet been reached.
“Subway takes pride in being a healthy and active brand – one that can be a regular part of these world class athletes’ routines. We knew Michael Phelps was a big fan of our sandwiches and we wanted to build on that with him to illustrate that Subway is a brand that can play a role in helping everyone – from elite athletes to weekend joggers – perform at their peak levels and make healthier, smarter choices about food, whatever the activity.” Tony Pace, chief marketing officer of the SUBWAY Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust (SFAFT), said on November 21, when the sponsorship was announced.
It is precisely because of this statement that Subway is now considering pulling the plug and “getting rid of this embarrassment,” sources say, as a healthy lifestyle is not something that can be associated with smoking marijuana. As it is known, the controversy began when News of the World ran a couple of photos showing Michael Phelps smoking marijuana at a party, while sources were saying that he looked “like he knew what he was doing,” that is, that it was not his first time.