Japanese auto giant Toyota is to end their top-tier Olympics sponsorship, its chairman has said, citing the sporting showpiece's "increasingly political" influence that puts athletes on the back burner.

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But now, with the Paris Games over, the carmaker decided to end the contract, chairman Akio Toyoda said during a podcast episode uploaded Thursday on the firm's own YouTube channel.

"I've wondered for a while now whether the event is truly putting athletes first," Toyoda said.

"It is also becoming increasingly political."

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"For me, the Olympics should simply be about watching athletes from all walks of life, with all types of challenges, achieve their impossible," Toyoda told the U.S. auto dealers.

Toyota follows another Japanese company Panasonic in ending their association with the Olympics.

Panasonic announced their withdrawal earlier this month citing "management considerations."

The electronics giant said it agreed with the IOC not to extend their sponsorship agreement when the current contract expires in December.

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>https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2024/09/27/companies/toyota-ends-olympics-sponsorship/
>https://www.reuters.com/sports/toyota-says-it-will-end-olympics-paralympics-sponsor-contract-2024-09-26/