While Nike didn't publicly announce why it terminated its marketing deal with soccer star Neymar in August 2020, it did so because of an allegation of sexual assault.
Khadeeja Safdar of the Wall Street Journal reported a Nike employee said Neymar attempted to force her to perform oral sex in 2016. The employee filed a complaint in 2018, and Nike hired Cooley LLP to investigate in 2019 and eventually ended the relationship with Neymar in 2020.
"Nike ended its relationship with the athlete because he refused to cooperate in a good faith investigation of credible allegations of wrongdoing by an employee," Hilary Krane, Nike's general counsel, said.