Beyond Today

Why would Nike sponsor a cheat?


Listen Later

Nike spends a lot of money sponsoring and marketing some of the best athletes in the world. It doesn’t just back global superstars like Serena Williams and Cristiano Ronaldo on the field, but off them too. It made the American football player Colin Kaepernick as the face of an advertising campaign after he protested against racial injustice by kneeling during the US national anthem.

The events of the last few days don’t fit Nike’s preferred narrative. The firm has shut down the Oregon Project, its elite training programme, after the main coach there, Alberto Salazar, was found guilty of cheating by the US anti-doping agency. Nike says it doesn’t accept Salazar was deliberately cheating and is supporting his appeal against the ban.

Matthew Price hears from two people who’ve followed this story from the start. The BBC’s Mark Daly first exposed Salazar in a Panorama investigation four years ago. And Matt Lawton, the chief sports writer for The Times, has been inside Nike’s controversial Oregon Project.

Producers: Philly Beaumont and Duncan Barber

Mixed by Nicolas Raufast
Editor: John Shields

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Beyond TodayBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

90 ratings


More shows like Beyond Today

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,994 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,639 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,046 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,520 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,799 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,763 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,049 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,920 Listeners

London Real by Brian Rose

London Real

1,184 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,785 Listeners

Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson

Modern Wisdom

4,045 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,177 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

720 Listeners

The High Performance Podcast by High Performance

The High Performance Podcast

559 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

15,592 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,599 Listeners

Honestly with Bari Weiss by The Free Press

Honestly with Bari Weiss

8,439 Listeners

ZOE Science & Nutrition by ZOE

ZOE Science & Nutrition

2,040 Listeners

Great Company with Jamie Laing by Jampot Productions

Great Company with Jamie Laing

341 Listeners

Where Shall We Meet by Omid Ashtari & Natascha McElhone

Where Shall We Meet

13 Listeners