By Andrew Downie
Could 28 (Reuters) – Brazilian soccer participant Neymar hit again at sportswear maker Nike Inc NKE.N on Friday, saying the corporate’s assertion that it terminated an endorsement deal as a result of he refused to cooperate with an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a Nike worker was “an absurd lie”.
In a narrative first reported by the Wall Avenue Journal on Thursday, Nike – which had the participant on a long-term contract – mentioned it terminated the deal final 12 months after an worker got here ahead with what it mentioned had been “credible” allegations towards the participant.
Neymar, who performs for Paris St Germain, denies the allegations.
The incident allegedly came about in 2016 however the worker initially requested to maintain the matter confidential and Nike solely opened its investigation in 2019 after the lady expressed an curiosity in legally pursuing the matter, in line with an announcement from the agency.
Nike mentioned it had ended its relationship with Neymar in 2020 as a result of “the athlete refused to cooperate in an excellent religion investigation of credible allegations of wrongdoing by an worker”.
Nevertheless, Neymar denied the allegations and mentioned he didn’t know the worker in query.
“I used to be not given the chance to defend myself,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’ve by no means had any form of relationship or method from this particular person. I did not also have a probability to speak to her, to know the true causes for her ache. That particular person, an worker, was not protected. I, a sponsored athlete, was not protected.”
(Reporting by Andrew Downie Enhancing by Daniel Flynn and Grant McCool)
((daniel.flynn@thomsonreuters.com; +55 11 5644 7701 ; Reuters Messaging: daniel.flynn.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.web))
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