Ralph Lauren has been a sponsor of Justin Thomas since 2013 when he became a professional golfer, since then he has been proclaimed 13 times a winner on the PGA Tour, becoming the third player in the world ranking.
Mexico City, January 16 (However) .– The fashion firm Ralph Lauren withdraw your patronage to the golfer Justin thomas, the third best player in the world ranking, for uttering a homophobic insult during the Tournament of Champions.
The American player exclaimed “fagot”, which in English means “fagot,” when he missed a five-foot putt that could have given him par on the fourth hole, during the Saturday round. By not having fans for the coronavirus pandemic, the insult was heard with total clarity.
The next day Thomas apologized: “First of all, I apologize, I am an adult, I am old and there is no reason at all for me to say something like that.
“It was terrible. I am extremely embarrassed. I am not so. This does not define who I am or what I do. Unfortunately I said so, I take responsibility and I apologize, ”explained the golfer.
But the player’s apologies were not enough for one of his main sponsors, who dressed him for the tournaments, to continue working with him, assuring that they were discouraged by the language of Thomas that does not share the values of the designer brand.
“We are put off by the recent language of Mr. Thomas and that it is totally inconsistent with our values. While we acknowledge that he has apologized, he is a paid ambassador for our brand and his actions conflict with the inclusive culture we strive to uphold, ”the company explained.
Although they left the door open for them to re-partner in the future: “Reflecting on the responsibility we have with all of our stakeholders, we have decided to discontinue our sponsorship of Mr. Thomas at this time. As we make this decision, our hope is that Mr. Thomas will do the hard work necessary to partner with us again, truly examining this incident, learning, growing, and ultimately using his platform to promote inclusion. ”
Ralph Lauren has been a sponsor of Justin Thomas since 2013 when he became a professional golfer, since then he has been proclaimed a 13-time winner on the PGA Tour.
-With AP information
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