(TMZ) Ryan Lochte's endorsement comeback is underway ... he just signed a brand new deal with a throat drop company TMZ Sports has learned.
Lochte will team up with the Pine Brothers throat lozenge company, a rep confirms -- to be the face of a campaign that promotes the drops as "Forgiving On Your Throat."Lochte will appear in print ads and a commercial.
Pine Bros. CEO Rider McDowell says, "We all make mistakes, but they're rarely given front-page scrutiny. He’s a great guy who has done incredible work with charities. I’m confident that Pine Bros. fans will support our decision to give Ryan a second chance."
We're guessing the campaign will include some comical references to Lochte's Brazil drama -- you know, since he's asking the public to forgive him for that whole thing.
Earlier in the day, Brazilian authorizes ordered Lochte to return to the country to testify. It turns out Ryan Lochte will NOT be returning to Brazil sources tell TMZ Sports.
Brazilian officials want Lochte to appear at a hearing to face potential legal action over the infamous gas station bathroom incident.
TMZ contacted Lochte's team but they have not heard anything of the sort about Brazilian police wanting him back. That said, sources familiar with the situation say there is no way Lochte is going back to Rio because police could detain him, prosecute him, jail him, do whatever they want ... and it would be ridiculous for him to go down that road
Photo: Getty Images