International Association of Athletics (IAAF) president Seb Coe has
stepped down from his ambassadorial role with major sportswear brand
Nike.
Coe had been an ambassador for the brand for 38 years, where he was
paid £100,000 a year, but he has decided to relinquish the role after
allegations of a conflict of interest after the American city of Eugene
in Oregon, where Nike is based, was named as the host city for the 2021
World Athletics Championships, without a bidding process.
After a meeting of IAAF's council in Monaco, Coe annouced his
decision to end ties with Nike, saying the reports had become a
distraction to him, but denied it was due to a conflict of interest.
“It is clear that perception and reality have become horribly
mangled. I have stepped down from the Nike position I have held for 38
years,” he said.
“The current noise level around this role is not good for the IAAF
and for Nike. It is a distraction to the 18-hour days that I and my
teams are working to steady the ship. I don’t feel my role with Nike is a
conflict of interest but is has become a distraction.”
Coe has also announced that he will be stepping down as the chairman
of the British Olympic Association (BOA) after the Rio 2016 Olympic
Games.
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