DEAL OVER
Shane Lowry ends sponsorship with Kingspan after damning report into role in Grenfell Tower fire tragedy
The sponsorship was formed just weeks before the London fire tragedy that claimed 72 lives
SHANE Lowry has axed his sponsorship deal with Kingspan amid the fallout from Grenfell fire tragedy.
The Offaly golfer had been under mounting pressure over his relationship with the controversial company after it was heavily criticised in the final report on the Grenfell Tower inquiry.
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The insulation produced by Kingspan was one of the products used on the outside of the Grenfell Tower in west London where 72 people died in a horror blaze in June 2017.
The Grenfell inquiry recently issued a damning rebuke to the Irish insulation firm.
The inquiry’s final report concluded the Cavan-based company, while not directly responsible for the deadly inferno, showed “complete disregard for fire safety” in terms of how it marketed its products.
The probe, published last week, also found Kingspan demonstrated “deeply entrenched and persistent dishonesty in pursuit of commercial gain”.
Open winner Lowry has faced impassioned calls since the Grenfell Tower tragedy to drop Kingspan as a sponsor.
And following last week’s scathing report into the disaster, the golfer has now finally moved to end his sponsorship deal.
He said: “Kingspan and I have mutually agreed to discontinue our sponsorship relationship, which we believe to be the right decision for all concerned at this time.
“Neither party will be commenting further.”
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Lowry’s sponsorship tie-up with Kingspan tee’d off in May 2017, just one month before the fire.
But under the deal, the Major winner continued to wear the company’s logo on the sleeve of his shirts while competing.
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Lowry’s website also hailed Kingspan during their partnership, saying: “I am thrilled to be getting the backing of one of Ireland’s most successful global companies.
“Kingspan has a great tradition of supporting Irish sports, of which I am an avid fan, through their sponsorship of rugby and GAA, and I am proud to represent the Kingspan brand as I compete across the world.”
Lowry had faced repeated calls by the survivors’ lobby group Grenfell United for all sports sponsorship involving Kingspan to be pulled.
The Grenfell United survivors’ group told how it contacted Lowry “for years” regarding his Kingspan deal.
Ed Daffarn, a committee member of the Grenfell United group of families, said: “We’ve been writing to him [Lowry] for years, saying get this sponsorship off your arm.
“It’s deeply upsetting and deeply offensive, and he doesn’t reply to us.”
The top swinger had remained silent about his association with Kingspan following blistering criticism of the company in the Grenfell Tower inquiry report last week.
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But amid the backlash, Lowry has now taken the decision to end his sponsorship deal with Kingpan.
The Offaly ace is due to face the media today (WEDS) as part of the Irish Open build up in Royal County Down.
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