Nike parts ways with Neymar after football star refuses to co-operate with sexual assault probe

Nike said that Neymar refused to cooperate with an investigation into “credible allegations of wrongdoing” made by one of the company’s employees.

Nike said that it ended its partnership with Paris Saint Germain forward Neymar last year because he refused to cooperate in an investigation into sexual assault allegations leveled against him by a Nike employee. The 15-year relationship between Neymar and Nike officially ended in 2020, with him later signing a deal with Puma. Nike did not give a reason for the split at the time. The world's largest sportswear maker said in a statement it viewed the allegations about an incident in 2016 as "credible" but also said an independent investigation it commissioned was inconclusive. "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, told the Journal.