Neymar calls Nike claim 'lie'
Neymar said Friday Nike's claim that it parted ways with him last year because he refused to cooperate with its internal investigation into an employee's accusation he sexually assaulted her was an "absurd lie."
The allegation is the latest to stain the image of the Brazilian superstar, whose 222-million-euro transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 makes him the world's most expensive footballer.
Nike said Thursday it had ended its sponsorship deal with Neymar over an employee's claim he tried to force himself on her and his failure to cooperate with its investigation.
"(To) state that my contract (with Nike) was terminated because I did not contribute in good faith to an investigation is an absurd lie," Neymar wrote on Instagram.
"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. I've never had any kind of relationship or approach with this person."
Nike said the alleged assault happened in 2016, but was only reported to the company in 2018.
The US sportswear giant had sponsored Neymar, 29, since he was a 13-year-old prodigy.
It did not give a reason when it terminated its deal with him in August 2020.
The superstar is now a poster boy for Puma. His deal with the German sportswear giant was announced in September 2020.
The Nike employee accused Neymar of trying to force her to perform oral sex on him in a New York hotel room during a promotional trip for a new line of sneakers, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first broke the story.
Neymar denied the accusation, and said Nike had nevertheless continued sending him on promotional tours.
"In 2017 I travelled again to the USA for another advertising campaign, with the same people, and nothing was told to me, nothing changed!" he wrote.
"In 2017, 2018, 2019 we made trips, advertising campaigns, and countless shooting sections. And they told me nothing. Such a serious matter and they did nothing."
In a previous statement, a Neymar spokeswoman said he and Nike had split for commercial reasons.
The player's father accused the company of "blackmail."
"It's all very strange" that the accusation only came to light years later, after Neymar left Nike, he told Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.
Nike said in a statement it was prepared to investigate in 2018 when the woman first came forward, but "respected the employee's initial desire to keep this matter confidential and avoid an investigation."
The firm therefore did not go further until 2019, when she expressed an interest in pursuing the matter, it said.
That was the same year another woman filed a rape complaint against Neymar in his native Brazil.
He vehemently denied that accusation, and the case was eventually dropped.
Neymar is currently in Brazil training with the national team north of Rio de Janeiro ahead of two upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
The superstar seemed "normal, the same as always," teammate Emerson told a news conference.
Neymar extended his contract with French champions PSG earlier this month, through the 2024-2025 season.
With his on-pitch exploits and huge following on social media, Neymar is one of the biggest names in sports.
But his shine has often been tarnished.
His image as an eternal spoiled child was revived late last year by rumors of a huge year-end party he organized in Brazil in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
He has also raised eyebrows with his alleged diving, hard-partying lifestyle and love of bling, which critics say contrasts with the relative lack of it in his trophy case.
-
I used the Pixel 9 Pro XL in the shower — does the screen work when wet as claimed?'Our Flag Means Death's realMilitary reports 1,793 more COVIDMoon calls North Korea's nuke test suspension 'good signal'Get Thee to Totality: ChicagoPompeo says Kim is serious about denuclearization talksLewandowski's first Barca goals see off Real SociedadSXSW 2022 lineups, free events: What you need to know微视频广东:在推进中国式现代化建设中走在前列Is Kim following Deng Xiaoping's path in transforming North Korea?
下一篇:NASA rover snaps photo of its most daunting challenge yet
- ·Best CPU Deals, AMD vs Intel: Holiday CPU Buying Guide
- ·China's senior diplomat meets North Korea foreign minister
- ·NBA partners with Clear to screen fans for COVID
- ·我市一国企向经开区多家企业捐赠7吨蔬菜
- ·Gastro Obscura's Guide to Where to Eat in Nashville
- ·“你们守护病人生命,我们守护你们的回家路”
- ·Trump's treasury secretary was hopelessly crooked before the newest scandals even came along.
- ·五一“班味”净化胜地:“深”藏不露,遇“汕”就爱了!
- ·14 Heists, Robberies, and Other Great Capers
- ·Digital blackface on TikTok thrives via audio trends
- ·Usyk targets Fury after Joshua win
- ·Apple 2022 'Peek Performance' event: A roundup of everything announced
- ·Black Friday GPU Buying Guide: November GPU Pricing Update
- ·Trump’s anti
- ·Tuchel may extend contract at Chelsea
- ·[Newsmaker] South Korea sets 7 diplomatic tasks, aims to expand presence as ‘global pivotal state’
- ·Norris stuns Verstappen at Dutch GP
- ·How to host a Passover seder on Zoom
- ·Usyk targets Fury after Joshua win
- ·Population shock: Korea reports first decline on record in 2021
- ·Which is Faster for Gaming, Windows 10 or Windows 11?
- ·维护疫情期间 蔬菜市场价格稳定
- ·Federal judge rules Trump must turn tax returns over to Manhattan DA.
- ·芦山县:一手抓防疫一手促复工 务工信息编成顺口溜
- ·高燃!哨响表停赛不止,2024广东“村BA”开赛在即,一分钟带你重温高光瞬间。
- ·Peloton finally connects with your Apple Watch. And you can track your workouts with just one tap.
- ·Sinner vs. Michelsen 2024 livestream: Watch US Open for free
- ·Facebook appears to be testing a major redesign of its website
- ·Trump to play hardball with Kim on nukes
- ·Federal judge rules Trump must turn tax returns over to Manhattan DA.
- ·A Journey Into the Mind of Stephen King
- ·Jeff Bezos as Amazon scandals, a thread
- ·Facebook freezes Venezuela president's page for sharing COVID misinfo
- ·NBA partners with Clear to screen fans for COVID
- ·水产品占“四席”!广州南沙十个农产品上榜“国字号”
- ·S.Korea forced to reinstate antivirus measures amid growing COVID