US RUNNER WILL MISS WORLD CAMPIONSHIPS AFTER REFUSING TO WEAR NIKE

MIDDLE distance runner Nick Symmonds will sit out the world championships in Beijing after being left off the US squad over a uniform squabble.

The defending world 800m runner-up refused to sign a contract that USA Track and Field requires of all athletes before they’re placed on the team. When the official team was named on Monday, Symmonds wasn’t on it despite his win at US championships in June.

For Symmonds, the issue is Nike’s standing as USATF’s official uniform sponsor. Anyone going to China later this month on the US team is required to wear Nike gear at team functions. Symmonds
is sponsored by a rival shoe company, Brooks, and wanted it clearly spelled out what constitutes a team function.

The 31-year-old Symmonds is known for taking stances on social and business issues that surround what he believes is a widely corrupt world of track and field. He said he couldn’t sit idly by on this topic, believing that giving Nike so much power on what athletes can and can’t wear at major events may hinder sponsorship deals down the road.

“We have to wear Team USA kit at all official Team USA functions, which is fine. I’m fine with it,” Symmonds said in a phone conversation Sunday night. “The problem is, they never define what a Team USA function is. They do that almost on purpose so they can call anything a Team USA function.”

USATF makes about $US20 million a year in a sponsorship contract with Nike that was recently extended to run through 2040.

The federation issued a statement on Monday, saying “the only restriction USATF places on athletes’ apparel or appearance at any time is when they represent the United States in national team competitions, award ceremonies, official team press conferences, and other official team functions tied to these national team events”.

USATF said it invests more than 50 per cent of its revenue directly into athlete support.
“We look forward to continuing to expand our programs for athletes, and we hope to see Nick on future national teams,” the statement said.

Symmonds was a Nike-sponsored athlete for about seven years before switching to Brooks last year. He did so because “I needed a company that could work with me and match my personality a little bit better”, Symmonds said.

He won the 800 at the national championships in June, finishing in a time of 1 minute, 44.53 seconds.
Symonds decided to skip lucrative competitions in Europe to concentrate on his training in Seattle, in order to be in prime shape for Beijing. He felt like he was possibly even in better condition than when he earned silver at the 2013 world championships in Moscow.

“I want to apologise to the fans who want to see me run,” Symmonds said. “I just feel that I can’t go out there and put on that Team USA jersey and feel good about it, while all the athletes are being mercilessly bullied and threatened by USATF at the same time. It’s not enjoyable anymore. When I was younger, I could ignore it. I just can’t ignore it anymore.”

Taking Symmonds’ place in the 800 is Clayton Murphy, who finished fourth at nationals.