Obesity-peddling restaurant is the athlete’s choice, apparently

Monday 18th August, 2008: Humongous gentleman Michael Phelps helps himself to a McDonalds on the Olympic Green in front of a huge press entourage. This comes shortly after we are told that that the swimmer eats the calorie equivalent of 22 Big Macs a day.

Sunday 17th August, 2008: After pissing all over the 100 metres final, Jamaican Usain Bolt reveals his secret weapon: ‘no Breakfast and McDonalds Chicken McNuggets’.

Saturday 16th August, 2008: Team GB swimmer Rebecca Adlington scoops her second gold in six days, and declares that she will ‘celebrate with a McDonalds‘.

Are we meant to believe that so many Olympians, who dedicate every waking hour to ensuring they are in peak physical condition, would intrinsically want to eat fast food during and after the most important sporting event of their lives? Or has a certain official Olympic partner made sure that gold medal winners have been name dropping their brand?

This kind of sneaky marketing is happening on our shores too. Did you notice how Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were pictured on the streets with huge bags full of Adidas stuff last week? Would they really need to go shopping for the stuff that the sportswear giant gives them for free?