Did Nike Influence Location Of Upcoming USATF Meets?
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Track Group Feels Nike Influencing
Locations Of USATF Meets |
The Pacific Association (PA) of USA Track & Field "plans to file a grievance" with the sanctioning body regarding the location selection process for five upcoming meets, in part to discover whether a "conflict of interest among USATF staff related to Nike occurred," according to John Schumacher of the SACRAMENTO BEE. The PA, which is based in Sacramento,also is questioning "whether USATF regulations for site selection were followed [and] if fair competition was maintained." The USATF in December awarded the '08 and 2012 Olympic Trials and the '09 and 2011 USA Outdoor Championships to Eugene, Oregon, and Nike financially supported the city's Olympic Trials bids. Sacramento hosted the previous two Olympic Trials and also bid on the outdoor championships given to Eugene. Former USATF CEO Craig Masback, who was in office when the four meets were awarded to the city, resigned in January to become Nike Global Sports Marketing Dir of Business Affairs. PA Exec Dir John Mansoor: "It's certainly not just Craig Masback. What we believe is happening, or at least the appearance that this is all happening, the individuals that were involved in the selection process ... they may all have conflicts of interest with awarding a bid to Eugene." But USATF Dir of Communications Jill Geer noted that Masback "did not have a vote in the selection process and that Nike was not part of Eugene's bid." Geer: "I can understand why people might look at Craig's job change and the bid being awarded. There was no connection whatsoever" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 2/16). Geer added of connecting Masbeck's new job with the locations of the events, "I think that does a disservice to the Oregon Track Club and the University of Oregon. Those are the people who bid for the Olympic Trials" (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 2/15).
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