Downy and USA Hockey Announce Partnership By Sending One Lucky Fan To The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 15, 2025--

Downy, the laundry care brand from Procter & Gamble, is celebrating its new partnership with USA Hockey by launching a sweepstakes offering a once-in-a-lifetime trip: two tickets to the Winter Olympics to cheer on the U.S. Men's Ice Hockey Team on February 14, 2026. Fans can enter* for their chance to win from now until January 2, 2026, at DownyRinseSweepstakes.com/OlympicWinterGames.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215669968/en/

Through this partnership, Downy Rinse is bringing its odor-fighting solution to hockey gear — instead of masking the stink, it helps remove it at the source. In one wash** it rinses away deep-set odors, leaving apparel fresher, softer, and brighter.

“Sweat from the game is something hockey players and their families know well,” said Redge Abueva, Vice President at Procter & Gamble. “Downy Rinse fights these tough uniform odors and is proud to support Team USA by engaging fans and offering them this unforgettable experience.”

“It’s exciting to welcome Downy to the USA Hockey family,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. “Our athletes give their all on the ice, and our fans are as passionate as any in the world. What better way to celebrate this partnership than by offering our amazing fans a chance to join us in Milan?”

Downy and USA Hockey will also roll out content featuring Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, and their families as they share some of their favorite stories associated with their hockey journeys. Viewers can tune in on Downy and USA Hockey social channels.

Downy Rinse is available at retailers nationwide. Try for as low as $5. Visit www.Downy.com for more information.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Void where prohibited. The Downy Rinse x USA Hockey Fan Sweeps is open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., who are 21 years of age or older as of the last day of the month prior to date of entry. Begins 10:00 a.m. ET on 12/15/25; ends 11:59 p.m. ET on 1/2/26. VisitDownyRinseSweepstakes.com/olympicwintergamesfor Official Rules. Sponsored by The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC. 36 USC 220506
** Removes odors in 1 wash better than the leading value detergent in 3 washes.

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ABOUT PROCTER & GAMBLE

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Downy and USA Hockey Announce Partnership By Sending One Lucky Fan To The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor whipped out her cell phone in a post-match interview and replayed footage of a hair-pulling incident missed by match officials in the Women's Champions League game against Arsenal.

The clip played by Bompastor in a TV interview showed Arsenal defender Katie McCabe pulling back the flowing hair of Chelsea forward Alyssa Thompson as the U.S. international broke forward in the final seconds in search of a goal to take Wednesday's game to extra time.

The French coach, who felt McCabe should have been sent off, complained to Danish referee Frida Klarlund from the sideline and was shown a red card. Bompastor continued to vent her anger afterward.

“I brought the phone with me — I don’t know if you can see that. That’s probably not usual,” said Bompastor, who held up the screen and pressed play to show the incident. “But if you look at this video, and I don’t know if you can see, for me it is clearly a red card for the Arsenal player. She’s pulling Alyssa’s hair. So I think, for me, if the VAR again is not able to check that situation, I don’t know why we have the VAR.”

Bompastor said Thompson “was crying” after the incident, which happened soon after Chelsea scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to make it 1-0. That’s how it stayed and Arsenal advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

McCabe took to social media after the game, posting on Instagram Stories: “I just want to clarify that I was genuinely reaching for the shirt, I wouldn’t ever want to pull someone’s hair. Full respect to Thompson.”

UEFA was still waiting on Thursday for the match delegate’s report.

Hair-pulling can be regarded as violent conduct and punished with a red card, as was the case in the Women's European Championship last year when the video assistant referee spotted Germany midfielder Kathrin Hendrich yanking the ponytail of France captain Griedge Mbock at a free kick.

In men's soccer, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder João Neves was sent off for pulling down Marc Cucurella by his hair toward the end of Chelsea’s 3-0 victory in the Club World Cup final last year.

In the Premier League, Everton defender Michael Keane was sent off in January after a video review for pulling the hair of Wolverhampton's Tolu Arokodare as they competed for a header. Everton failed with an appeal to the Football Association that it did not constitute violent conduct.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Chelsea's Alyssa Thompson, right, and a teammate react following defeat in the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match against Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)