Bad sports: it shouldn’t happen to a sponsor

LAND ROVER is furious after a sponsor’s day event with the England rugby team turned ugly during the current World Cup. The players, whose stock is at an all-time low after a disastrous tournament, have been accused of abusing Land Rover staff and vehicles like so many dwarves in a Queenstown bar.

But the car company shouldn’t feel so special. Sports stars have a rich history of sticking it to their moneymen, and we’ve picked out a selection of the finest sponsor nightmares.

Michael Phelps

Apparently, smoking a bong at a party is "not consistent with the image of Kellogg". Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps found this out the hard way when in 2009 compromising pictures led to a swift severance of ties with his sponsor. Phelps, who won an unprecedented eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, had been the face of Corn Flakes up until that unfortunate incident.

Wayne Rooney

The hot-headed Manchester United striker guarantees profile for a brand but not always the right kind. Coca-Cola felt compelled to drop Rooney following news of his infidelity with prostitutes while his wife was pregnant, which a spokesman for the company described as "disgusting". As a wholesome, family brand, Coke were also unhappy about him being photographed urinating in the street.

Stephanie Rice

Australian swimmer Rice got herself out of those annoying advertising commitments with an ill-advised tweet that ended her association with Jaguar. "Suck on that faggots!" Rice tweeted in the direction of the South African rugby team after Australia’s Tri-Nations win last year. Jaguar Australia was unimpressed and general manager Kevin Goult announced the partnership was over the following day. She also lost her complimentary Jag.

Tiger Woods

For more than a decade Woods was a sponsor’s dream, racking up trophies without a hint of controversy. Then, in November 2009, he wrapped his car around a tree and we all found out he was having countless extra-marital affairs. Gatorade dropped him first, followed by bag sponsor AT&T, then Tag Heuer scaled down their involvement. Others stood by him and even though Tiger has now dropped to 51st in the world rankings, he’s expected to earn $20m in endorsements this year.

Oxbridge ski team

They may not be superstars just yet, but these bright sparks from Oxford and Cambridge deserve their place on our list for some free-spirited antics in the Alps in January this year. According to The Daily Telegraph, the varsity trip "descended to such levels of debauchery, one of the event's chief sponsors has vowed never to get involved again". The students posed for erotic pictures in the snow, drank urine and ate raw eggs from one another’s buttocks. In the words of one student: "I sold my dignity for a free holiday". Up-market travel firm Scott Dunn was at pains to distance themselves, pledging that they would have "no future involvement" with such trips. ·