After the info leaked out but, above all after the strong suspicions of irregularity arisen during the award of World Championships in Eugene in 2012, Sebastian Coe severly decided: to cut off the links with Nike and to retire from his title of “ambassador” of the famous brand, deed which will cost him 100.000 pounds each year.
The abandonement of Nike by IAAF president came about the fact that the assignment of World Championships in Eugene was completed without a regular “tender”, with a crux: actually Eugene is the USA Athletics operative centre labelled Nike.
Obviously, many connected the two situations and called out for scandal and conflict of interest, mainly the supporters from Goteborg, the other city competing for the World Championships.
Soon after the rescission of the contract with Nike, Coe commented: “I did not believe it was a conflict of interest. I have always declared my interests with Nike, as the whole series of activities. It is clear this reality was horribly distorted. The level of rumors about this ambassodor role are not sustainable for IAAF and it is no good for Nike as well and, frankly, it is a distraction for the 18 hours a day in which my team and I work to keep the boat floating”.
Furthermore, Coe also stated that he would also want to leave the lead of the British Olympic Association after Rio 2016.
Coe seems to be destined to be rewarded for its annual lose by becoming a paid IAAF president; such thing would require the support of some his council’s colleagues. Frankie Fredericks, president of the IAAF athletes commission said: “The commission would like someone on the lead -especially after what Seb gave up to- to pay, to assure he offers a true professional job for the athlete’s sake.”
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