[Asia Economy Reporter Nahana] Justin Thomas (USA), ranked 3rd in the men's golf world rankings, lost his sponsorship from the clothing brand Ralph Lauren after inadvertently uttering words containing homophobic expressions.
According to the AP News, Ralph Lauren announced on the 16th (Korean time) in a statement, "We have decided to suspend our sponsorship of Mr. Thomas effective immediately."
Since turning professional in 2013, Thomas has consistently worn Ralph Lauren apparel while competing on the PGA Tour. He ranked first in the FedEx Cup points standings in 2017 and reached world number one last year.
However, last week, during a tournament, he muttered words with homophobic meaning, leading to the suspension of Ralph Lauren's sponsorship.
On the 10th, during the third round at the PGA Tour Sentry Tournament of Champions held in Hawaii, USA, at the 4th hole (par 4), Thomas missed a roughly 2-meter par putt and, while trying to recover, muttered a homophobic expression to himself.
In particular, the controversial curse word (fa****), which is among American profanities and derogatory toward homosexuals, was the issue. His remarks were broadcast through the live microphone during the coverage.
As the controversy grew, Thomas publicly apologized, saying, "It was an unforgivable act. I sincerely apologize to everyone, especially those hurt by my words. I will strive to become a better person because of this incident."
However, Ralph Lauren stated, "We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity regardless of age, race, gender identity, ethnicity, political affiliation, or sexual orientation."
They added, "While we acknowledge that he admitted to using harsh language and apologized, his actions as a paid ambassador of our brand contradict our efforts to maintain an inclusive culture."
Previously, Ralph Lauren was selected last year by the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the United States, as one of the "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality."
Meanwhile, this is not the first time a sponsorship was withdrawn due to controversy over homophobic expressions. Last year, Scott Piercy, a four-time PGA Tour winner, faced the humiliation of losing five sponsors after posting a meme containing homophobic content on his social media.
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