Diageo pulls out of sponsoring Copa America soccer tournament

FILE PHOTO: A bartender takes a bottle of Johnnie Walker whisky in Almaty, Kazakhstan June 22, 2017. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File Photo

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Alcoholic beverage company Diageo Plc on Thursday joined other major sponsors pulling out of the Copa America after players criticized organizers for moving the soccer tournament to Brazil despite one of the world's worst COVID-19 outbreaks.

The spirits makers said it was withdrawing its brand names as sponsors of the 10-nation South American tournament "before the current Brazilian health situation and out of respect for this moment of the COVID-19 pandemic".