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11 months ago
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The company behind Weet-Bix has explained that Josh Giddey has been deleted from all their social media in an attempt to spare the Aussie NBA star from 'negative commentary' as he faces an investigation into his alleged relationship with a minor.
The shooting guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder is under intense scrutiny from the league after the allegations surfaced when photos of him with a girl were posted on social media recently.
That has given rise to speculation he is in danger of losing his $40million sponsorship deal with the famous Aussie cereal brand.
Giddey has been one of the faces of Weet-Bix since his lucrative four-year deal began in 2021 and he was fronting their 'Every Bite Counts' campaign.
Giddey was one of the faces of Weet-Bix until news of his alleged relationship broke and the company behind the popular cereal deleted him from their social media platforms
Now parent company Sanitarium has explained the reasoning behind wiping the 21-year-old from all their social media platforms.
'We know how hard negative social media comments can be for anyone, especially for young athletes,' Sanitarium said in a statement on Tuesday.
'We removed promotional assets featuring Josh Giddey from our own channels out of a desire to minimise opportunities for negative commentary towards Josh while the NBA is looking into the current situation.
'It was not a precursor to any decisions on Josh's contract as a Weet-Bix ambassador.
'We are still in contact with Josh's management team and awaiting on the facts surrounding this matter.'
On Monday, Sanitarium would only say of the scandal: 'We are obviously aware of news surrounding Josh Giddey and are waiting for facts to be confirmed.'
Parent company Sanitarium explained that they wiped Giddey (pictured playing Philadelphia on November 25) to spare him from 'negative commentary'
The 21-year-old (pictured playing Chicago last week) could be in danger of losing his $40million sponsorship from Weet-Bix, which began in 2021
Other Aussie athletes signed up by the breakfast brand include Socceroos great Tim Cahill, tennis star Alex de Minaur and World Cup-winning cricketer Marnus Labuschagne.
Giddey's face is also on Weet-Bix boxes across the country.
The Aussie has become one of the Thunder's key players since he selected by with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
Last February he stunned NBA fans by breaking a record that had stood for 61 years.
Then aged 19, he become the youngest player in league history to pull off a triple double - notching double figures for points, assists and rebounds - when Oklahoma faced the San Antonio Spurs.
Giddey's historic achievement made him the first rookie since Oscar Robertson in 1960/61 to pull off triple-doubles in three straight games, and the only player ever to do so as a teenager.
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