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Nike was the site of a staff protest at the Beaverton, Oregon headquarters on Monday.
Up to 400 staff peacefully walked out to quietly protest the re-opening of a building named after shamed coach Alberto Salazar, who this autumn received a four-year coaching ban from the USATF.
Apparently, after the ban was handed down, he was accused of fat-shaming and bullying women that he had coached including Kara Goucher, Amy Yoder Begley, and Mary Cain who ended up in a New York Times video op-ed claiming that she was bullied and shamed.
In early October, he was banned after a long and drawn investigation into doping practices.
Nike continues to support Salazar and has vowed to appeal the ruling, but have since closed down the Nike Oregon Project. Former athletes have found other coaches since, for example, Jordan Hasay is both self-coached and working at arms-length with former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe.
Employees were told to not talk to the media that was on hand. Apparently a photo-journalist was escorted off the property by Nike employees.
A flier produced by employees was distributed.
According to the local newspaper Willamette Week, Greg Rossiter spokesperson for Nike said, “We respect and welcome employees’ feedback on matters that are important to them. The flier prepared by some employees was not officially distributed by Nike.”
Nike has named several buildings after notable athletes including soccer star Mia Hamm, president of World Athletics Lord Sebastian Coe and Salazar.
The protest started shortly after 9:15 am at the Mia Hamm building.
