No evidence Apple ended, or ever had, $1 billion Olympics ad campaign | Fact check

The claim: Apple ended $1 billion advertising campaign for Paris Olympics

An Aug. 1 Facebook post ( direct link , archive link ) shows side-by-side images of the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony and Apple CEO Time Cook.

"Apple Drops Out of $1 Billion Advertising Campaign with Olympics, 'They've Gone Woke,'" reads text included in the post.

It was shared more than 2,000 times in a week. Similar posts were shared thousands of additional times.

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Fact check roundup: What's true and false about Paris Olympics

Our rating: False

There is no evidence Apple had and then ended a $1 billion advertising campaign with the Paris Olympics. Apple isn't listed among the Games' sponsors, and there is no such announcement on the company's website.

No evidence Apple had – or dropped – $1 billion Olympics ad campaign

In late July, the Olympics began with an opening ceremony that some found controversial, with critics complaining it mocked "The Last Supper," Leonardo da Vinci's painting of Jesus and his disciples before the crucifixion. While organizers insisted it was an homage to the Greek god Dionysus, the moment was criticized by some Christian groups and political leaders .

However, there is no evidence Apple had a $1 billion advertising campaign with the Olympics, much less that the company ended one over the controversy or for any other reason. Apple is not listed as a partner on the International Olympic Committee's website. There is no mention of an Olympics advertising campaign in any of the company's recent statements , and no credible news reports support the Facebook post's claim.

Fact check : Censored video of female athletes is satire, not Iranian Olympic coverage

Apple ads, including one about its Safari browser , have aired during broadcasts of the Olympics, The Washington Post reported. Before the Olympics started, Adweek reported Apple would feature an ad called "2036 Hopefuls," a reference to a future iteration of the Games, which shows aspiring athletes from around the world under the age of 10 as part of its “Shot on iPhone” campaign.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY, nor did the IOC.

A different tech company, Google, pulled an Olympics ad after it was criticized for the way it depicted artificial intelligence. In early August, Apple removed an ad unrelated to the Olympics that aired in Thailand after many deemed it offensive, Bloomberg reported.

USA TODAY has previously debunked false claims about other businesses ending partnerships with the Olympics, including Home Depot and Samsung .

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

• International Olympic Committee, accessed Aug. 7, Paris 2024 Partners
• Apple, accessed Aug. 7, Newsroom
• The Washington Post, July 30, Apple says Safari protects your privacy. We fact-checked those claims.
• Adweek, July 18, Apple Ads Celebrate Young, Hopeful Athletes Ahead of the Olympics

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No evidence Apple ended, or ever had, $1 billion Olympics ad campaign | Fact check