Nike says it ended deal with Neymar amid sexually-assault allegations
Paris, May 28: Nike has confirmed it ended its sponsorship agreement with Neymar after he refused to collaborate in an investigation into an accusation that he sexually assaulted a female employee from the company years ago.
The soccer superstar has denied the accusation and criticized the company on Instagram while training with Brazil outside Rio de Janeiro.
Neymar called Nike's claims "an absurd lie."
Nike didn't give a reason last August when it parted ways with the Paris Saint-Germain forward. But the company said in a statement on Thursday that it terminated the contract because Neymar refused to participate "in a good faith investigation of credible allegations of wrongdoing by an employee."
Nike said it could not speak in detail about the case when their deal ended because the investigation was not conclusive.
"No single set of facts emerged that would enable us to speak substantively on the matter," Nike said.
"It would be inappropriate for Nike to make an accusatory statement without being able to provide supporting facts."
The Wall Street Journal first reported the story on Thursday. The newspaper reported that the Nike employee told friends as well as colleagues in 2016 that Neymar tried to force her to perform oral sex in his hotel room while in New York, where she was helping to coordinate events and logistics for the player and his entourage.
No complaint was ever made to police or local prosecutors, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. A message seeking comment was left with the NYPD. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined comment.
Nike said it was "deeply disturbed by sexual assault allegations" and confirmed the alleged incident took place in 2016, when Neymar played with Barcelona. Nike said it received an official notice of the incident two years later.
The company said it respected the employee's initial desire to avoid an investigation and to keep the matter private.
"In 2019, when the employee later expressed interest in pursuing the matter, we acted immediately," it said.
"Nike commissioned an independent investigation and retained separate independent legal counsel for the employee, of her choosing and at the company's expense."
Neymar wrote a long Instagram post on Friday addressing the end of the Nike partnership and the sexual assault allegation without going into details.
"I really don't understand how a serious company can distort a business relationship that is supported by documents. Written words cannot be altered. They are very clear," Neymar wrote.
"Once again I am warned that I cannot comment in public. Against my own will, I shall obey."
The footballer also said he travelled and worked with Nike employees several times after the alleged incident, and nothing changed in the relationship.
"I was not given the opportunity to defend myself. I was not given the opportunity to know who this person was that was allegedly offended. I don't even know her," he wrote.
"I never had any kind of relationship or approach with this person.
"I didn't even have a chance to talk to her, to know the real reasons for her pain. That person, an employee, was not protected. I, a sponsored athlete, was not protected."
The Brazilian also regretted having to wear a shirt sponsored by Nike at his club Paris Saint-Germain.
"Irony of fate I will continue to stamp a brand on my chest that betrayed me. That's life for you!" he wrote.
"I remain firm and strong, believing that time, always this cruel time, will bring the true answers."
Neymar is expected to play two World Cup qualifiers in early June. He is widely believed to be in Brazil's squad to be announced for next month's Copa America.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
