The claim: Home Depot ended Olympics sponsorship after opening ceremony
A July 31 Facebook post ( direct link , archive link ) shows side-by-side images of the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony and a Home Depot store.
“Home Depot Ends 30-Year Olympic Sponsorship: ‘Our Customers Would Never Forgive Us,’” reads text above the images.
Some commenters appeared to believe the statement was genuine.
"That’s why I will always shop at Home Depot," wrote one user.
"I buy from an American company that listens to us, thank you HD for not sponsoring this awful thing!" wrote another.
The post was shared more than 1,400 times in five days. Another version of the claim spread widely on X, formerly Twitter .
More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page
Our rating: Satire
The claim originated on a satirical website. Home Depot was not a sponsor of the 2024 Olympic Games, the company told USA TODAY.
Home Depot, Olympics sponsorship program ended in 2009
The post references the controversy over a scene from the Olympics opening ceremony on July 26 that showed a man dressed as the Greek god Dionysus surrounded by others in elaborate costumes. Some interpreted the scene as a mockery of "The Last Supper," a Leonardo da Vinci painting that shows Jesus Christ dining with his disciples before his crucifixion, as USA TODAY reported .
However, the backlash didn't trigger a response from Home Depot because the company didn't sponsor the 2024 Games , and it told USA TODAY the claim is false.
“We didn’t have any media buys or sponsorships with the Olympics,” said spokesperson Sarah McDonald .
The claim first appeared on a Facebook page that's part of the America’s Last Line of Defense satirical network. Its website says all of its content is fictional. A small disclaimer in the bottom left corner of the image in the July 31 Facebook post indicates it stems from the satirical network.
Fact check : Nonsense comment about Olympics attributed to Harris is fabricated
Home Depot previously had a sponsorship program that offered Olympic athletes full-time pay and benefits for part-time work, Reuters reported . The program was in place from 1992 until 2009.
USA TODAY previously debunked separate claims that videos showed Christians singing and holding a worship service after the controversial opening ceremony.
USA TODAY reached out to users who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. One user acknowledged the claim originated from a satirical page.
Snopes and AFP also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here .
USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Claim Home Depot ended Olympics sponsorship after opening ceremony is satire | Fact check
Most Popular
Comments / 0