Neymar during Brest-PSG in Ligue 1, May 23, 2021. – Thibault Camus / AP / SIPA
Reasons for divorce: Nike says it broke off its partnership with Neymar because he refused to cooperate with an investigation, after an employee accused him of sexually assaulting her. Allegations, sharply rejected by the father of the star, whose image is still damaged.
“Nike ended its partnership with the athlete because he refused to cooperate in a good faith investigation into credible allegations of wrongdoing made by an employee,” Nike said in a statement sent to AFP , on the night of Thursday to Friday, confirming information from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
Facts dating back to 2016
“The investigation was not conclusive,” nevertheless insisted on clarifying the company based in Beaverton in Oregon, adding: “No body of facts has emerged that would allow us to comment on the merits of the case. It would be inappropriate for Nike to make an accusatory statement without being able to provide supporting facts ”.
Joined by the WSJ, the spokesperson for the player assured in a statement that “Neymar Jr will vigorously defend himself against these baseless attacks in case any allegation is presented, which has not happened so far.” And she claimed that the two sides had separated for commercial reasons, despite having been in talks since 2019. “It is very strange that a case supposed to have happened in 2016, with allegations made by a Nike employee, was only revealed at that time, ”she argued.
When Nike prematurely terminated its sponsorship contract between him and the Brazilian at the end of August 2020, after 13 years of collaboration, no reason had been given. In its press release sent to AFP, the comma mark explains to have “been deeply disturbed by the allegations of sexual assault made in 2018 by one of its employees against Neymar Jr”, without specifying their nature .
Based on testimonies and documents, the Wall Street Journal reports that this employee told friends and colleagues that Neymar tried to force her to perform oral sex in 2016, while she was in her hotel room in New York, where she worked at the coordination and logistics of a promotional event.
“They all leave Nike and are accused of stuff like that”
“How can such news come out? “, Rebelled Neymar Sr, the father of the player, on a daily basis Folha from Sao Paulo, assuring that his son “does not even know this girl”. “It comes from Nike. It’s very strange, they all leave Nike and are accused of stuff like that. It happened to Cristiano Ronaldo, to the basketball guy who died Kobe (Bryant), they were denigrated, as Neymar is wrongly accused now. If Nike wants to blackmail, then let’s tackle Nike, then, ”he said.
The American equipment manufacturer said in its press release that it was ready to investigate in 2018 when his employee made these allegations, but that he “respected his initial desire to keep this matter confidential and to avoid the opening of an investigation “.