After emerging as the face of women’s soccer during this year’s World Cup, Megan Rapinoe has announced her first sponsorship deal with the CBD brand Mendi.
The superstar left winger is joining her twin sister Rachael Rapinoe, CEO of the Mendi brand, which is run completely by women.
“As a tool, CBD has been integral in Megan’s training and recovery program for the past few years,” said Rachael Rapinoe. “She’s seen the massive potential for more people to adopt CBD into their recovery regimens and saw a need to do something about it by partnering with us to make sure we do it right.”
Megan Rapinoe is set to spearhead the brand’s “Athlete Ambassador Program,” with hopes to utilize her partnership with Mendi to raise awareness for diversity, inclusion, equal pay, equality, and justice into small communities and workplaces.
“We’re not waiting for equal pay. It’s here today,” added Rachael. “We’re taking a proactive role to do something about it by building a business that cares for the athlete’s best interest and assembles our own team of industry vets that share these values and the passion to change the game for good. We’re building a brighter future for sports both on and off the field so we can pass the torch to the next generation of athletes.”
Mendi’s initial line of products contains CBD derived from hemp, which recently became a federally protected plant under the 2017 farm bill. Their line of infused gel caps, gummy candies, and salve sticks are designed with athletes in mind, as they contain zero traces of THC, and are TSA-friendly for air travel.
Megan Rapinoe joins a growing number of athletes and celebrities entering the legal cannabis industry, including Calvin Johnson, Mike Tyson, and Ricky Williams.