MCDONALDS have decided to end their lucrative sponsorship deal with the Olympics three years early – heaping more pressure on the IOC.
The fast food giant are only five years into an eight-year contract worth £156million which had been due to run through until the end of Tokyo 2020.
But they have ditched their partnership, which has been running for over 40 years, after looking internally at their involvement with the International Olympic Committee.
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It is the latest commercial blow to hit the IOC, who have been struggling ever since a series of doping scandals hit the organisation.
They came under fire for refusing to impose a total ban on Russia competing at the Rio Olympics last year despite evidence of a widespread state-sponsored doping programme.
The IOC were accused of bottling taking a tough stance against cheating in sport, amid revelations the organisation's chief Thomas Bach was close friends with Vladimir Putin.
Since then some have questioned the integrity of the IOC and their desire to be thorough in the policing of sport from drugs cheats.
And with the image of the Games tarnished, other corporate backers have also decided to end their associations with the IOC.
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Hotel chain Hilton, Budweiser and US telecoms giants AT&T have all pulled their backing in recent months.
Now McDonalds have followed them, making it four major sponsors to have ditched the IOC since last year.
McDonalds chief marketing officer Silvia Lagnado said : "As part of our global growth plan, we are reconsidering all aspects of our business and have made this decision in cooperation with the IOC to focus on different priorities."
The partnership will end with immediate effect, although McDonalds have agreed to continue to be a sponsor of the 2018 Winter Olympics with so much resouce already committed.
And IOC statement said: "The financial terms of the separation was agreed by all parties, details of which are confidential."
McDonalds first signed up to be official sponsors of the Olympics in 1976.
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