Olympics

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.

Ryan Lochte will NOT be returning to Brazil -- despite the fact officials in Rio have reportedly summoned the swimmer to testify in front of the country's Justice Department ... sources tell TMZ Sports.

When Usain Bolt was getting his swerve on in a London nightclub this weekend, rapper Post Malone was RIGHT THERE partying alongside him ... and tells TMZ Sports, "It was awesome!"

Bolt has been on a tear with the ladies this past week -- despite the fact he's got a GF back home in Jamaica -- and Post saw the legend in action at Cirque le Soir club on Monday night.

"He's a ladies man," Malone said.

"Fastest man in the world ... even if the cops were chasing him, he could escape ... [if they were chasing him] in a vehicle. He fast as hell so he can do whatever he wants to do."

Malone -- the guy behind the hit "White Iverson" -- says he may FINALLY meet the NBA inspiration for his song ... but it's gonna be halfway around the world!

Check out the clip.

Not everyone on Team USA was thrilled with the super swanky floating hotel the squad stayed on in Rio ... DeMar DeRozan says he HATED the digs ... and would've rather shacked up in the Olympic village.

In case you forgot ... Team USA basketball stayed on board a RIDICULOUS cruise ship called the Silver Cloud in Brazil ... which featured a pool, gym, cigar lounge AND bar.

We got the newly crowned gold medalist out in L.A. and asked him a question normies all over the world want the answer to ... what was it like to live in that incredible floating mansion on the sea?

Check out the clip -- DeMar gives a typical rich guy answer ... claiming -- for good reason -- that the posh accommodations weren't all they were cracked up to be.

Hope Solo has just been benched by Team USA soccer for SIX MONTHS -- for trashing Team Sweden as a "bunch of cowards" after they beat the U.S. in an Olympic match earlier this month.

Attention, hot British actor Alex Roe -- GABBY DOUGLAS WANTS A PIECE!!!

For those unfamiliar, Roe's the super handsome 26-year-old star of that movie, "The 5th Wave" ... and Gabby likey.

In fact, when we saw the U.S. Olympic legend in NYC -- not only did she tell us she wants to work with the guy in front of the camera ... but she wants a crack at dat ass too!

Don't be stupid, Roe ... these kinds of opportunities don't come knocking down your door every day!!!!

Ryan Lochte has a strong ally -- Olympic legend Kerri Walsh Jennings who says people need to STOP treating the swimmer like a super-villain ... adding, "He's not a terrible person."

Here are Kevin Durant & DeAndre Jordan enjoying the spoils of their Olympic victory ... with a world champion day party turn up sesh in Mykonos.

After absolutely pummeling Serbia in the gold medal game, the guys headed over to Greece and proved once again that America is #1 ... at partying our faces off.

Check out the pics and vids ... and remember that some Americans don't have to tarnish a country's reputation to have a good time.

Ryan Lochte is going to get punished by the USOC ... but sources connected with the 4 swimmers don't think it's fair for the organization to annihilate them to appease those who are out for blood.

Lochte's lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, tells TMZ he has faith in the USOC and that the organization will punish Lochte in a manner that matches his conduct during the drunken Brazilian escapade. Ostrow would not say more.

Michael Phelps' punishment for his 2 DUIs is unquestionably relevant. The reality is ... but for the grace of God, Phelps could have killed an innocent person while driving drunk. After his second DUI in 2014, the USOC imposed a 6-month suspension.

The org. did not strip Phelps of his medals or keep him from competing in the 2016 Olympics.

As for Lochte and crew, they were drunk as well, but none got behind the wheel. Our sources say worst-case scenario ... Lochte damaged a sign outside a gas station bathroom and peed on the grass.

As for the "lies" -- our sources are adamant ... he and the other swimmers were taken out of a cab at gunpoint and ordered to turn over hundreds of dollars ... classic robbery. The sources acknowledge the swimmers were deceptive by implying they were pulled over in a moving cab.

Bottom line ... sources connected with the 4 swimmers say a 6-month suspension would be harsh given Phelps' punishment, but could still be justified. Anything more, they say, is just vengeance to appease the media and the public.

Team USA swimmer Jimmy Feigen says Brazilian officials tried to shake him down following the gas station incident in Rio ... demanding more than $46,000 to let him leave the country.

Feigen just spelled out the situation in a statement through his lawyer -- saying on the day he was scheduled to leave Rio -- hell broke loose at a Brazilian courthouse.

Billy Bush says Matt Lauer did NOT bigfoot him out of the coveted first sit-down interview with Ryan Lochte ... telling TMZ Sports it was Lochte who called the shots.

Carmelo Anthony is the single greatest Olympic basketball player in history ... so says his Knicks teammate Brandon Jennings ... who says Melo is no doubt the international GOAT.

We got Brandon out in L.A. Sunday and asked about Anthony taking home his record-breaking 3rd gold medal ... and if it puts him ahead of other greats who've donned the red, white, and blue.

Brandon says Melo has done more than enough to prove he's the MAN on the world's biggest stage.

One thing's for sure ... Michael Jordan is gonna be annoyed by this.

Oh, and get this ... Jennings also explains why he has ZERO desire to play for Team USA.

Swimmer Jimmy Feigen's nearly $11k deal to avoid a Rio jail could backfire against future Team USA Olympians.

TMZ has learned Feigen's $10,800 donation has been tagged to spruce up training facilities for the Reaction Institute in the Rio favela known as City of God. Specifically, we're told the money is going to help fix walls and prevent weather damage to judo equipment.

That equipment is used to give children from the favelas judo training, and put them on the road to becoming Olympians -- who might one day whoop-up on American judo fighters. Brazil's judo gold medalist this year, Rafaela Silva, once trained at the Institute ... so it has a good track record.

As we reported, Feigen struck a deal with prosecutors in Rio ... who agreed to let him off the hook, if he made the donation.

Ryan Lochte seems genuinely remorseful about his behavior in Rio ... and he not only says he was irresponsible when it came to excessive drinking ... he's not ruling out rehab.

Our photog got Ryan in L.A. Monday, and he had a lot to say ... about Speedo firing him, how being suspended by the USOC would crush him, and what he'll do post-pool.

Ryan Lochte just lost one of his biggest sponsors -- with Speedo pulling the plug on the swimmer in the wake of his embarrassing Rio bathroom debacle.

The mankini company just issued a statement saying, "While we have enjoyed a winning relationship with Ryan for over a decade and he has been an important member of the Speedo team, we cannot condone behavior that is counter to the values this brand has long stood for."

"We appreciate his many achievements and hope he moves forward and learns from this experience."

Speedo also says it will donate a $50,000 portion of Lochte's fees to Save The Children -- a charity which will use the money to benefit children in need in Brazil.

Ryan Lochte is one week into his Olympic lie, and he still doesn't understand what he did.

Lochte told Matt Lauer the Rio gas station folks were out of line to point a gun at his head because he did nothing wrong.

As we all now know ... Lochte and his crew damaged the bathroom and were leaving without paying, and gas station security claim they brandished the weapon so the swimmers didn't leave until cops arrived.