Runner Mary Cain sues former coach Alberto Salazar and Nike for $20 million over alleged abuse

Distance runner Mary Cain, whose career fizzled after what she has called four miserable years at the Nike Oregon Project, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against her former coach, Alberto Salazar, and their employer, Nike.

Cain accused Salazar of emotionally abusing her when she joined the team in 2012 at age 16, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. The lawsuit portrays Salazar as an angry control freak who was obsessed with Cain's weight and publicly humiliated her about it.

That, she said, took a toll on her physical and mental health. Nike was aware but failed to intervene, according to the lawsuit.