Lionel Bonaventure | Getty PhotographsNike stated it ended its partnership with Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. — higher recognized merely as Neymar — w
Lionel Bonaventure | Getty Photographs
Nike stated it ended its partnership with Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. — higher recognized merely as Neymar — when the soccer celebrity refused to cooperate with an investigation into sexual assault allegations towards him.
“Nike ended its relationship with the athlete as a result of he refused to cooperate in a superb religion investigation of credible allegations of wrongdoing by an worker,” Nike stated in a late Thursday assertion.
The Wall Avenue Journal first reported the information.
The corporate introduced final summer season it had parted methods with Neymar however had not given a cause for the sudden transfer. The Journal reported that, on the time, there have been nonetheless eight years left in Neymar’s contract with Nike.
The corporate stated it was “deeply disturbed” by an incident that the worker alleged occurred in 2016.
A spokeswoman for Neymar advised the WSJ that he denies the allegations.
Nike stated the worker reported the allegations in 2018 and initially needed to maintain it confidential and keep away from an investigation. Consequently, Nike stated it didn’t share particulars with legislation enforcement or a 3rd social gathering, out of respect for the worker’s privateness.
Nike stated it commissioned an impartial investigation into the allegations in 2019 when the worker expressed curiosity in pursuing the matter. The corporate stated, nevertheless, the investigation was inconclusive.
“No single set of information emerged that will allow us to talk substantively on the matter. It will be inappropriate for Nike to make an accusatory assertion with out having the ability to present supporting information,” the corporate stated.
In 2017, Neymar left Spanish membership FC Barcelona to hitch Paris Saint Germain for a file switch charge of $263 million.
— CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.