Coe abandons role with Nike

Associated Press

MONACO

Although new to his job, Sebastian Coe has already learned that some battles are simply not worth fighting when you’re trying to lead a major sport out of crisis.

The head of track and field’s governing body announced Thursday that he has given up his role as a special adviser to Nike Inc. That relationship was longstanding, dating to his years as a star middle-distance runner, and it was lucrative, reportedly worth 100,000 pounds ($150,000) to him each year.

But that link has become a millstone around Coe’s neck since he was elected president of the International Association of Athletics Federations in August, because it left the former Olympic champion open to critics’ accusations that he might put the interests of the sportswear giant before those of his sport.

Coe said Thursday that he still believes it is possible to be both a Nike ambassador and lead the IAAF without it being a conflict of interest. But he said he was giving up the Nike position because discussion about that role is distracting from his No. 1 mission: saving track and field from a crisis of confidence sparked by revelations of widespread doping in Russia, and alleged corruption at the very top of the IAAF under Coe’s predecessor, Lamine Diack.

“It is clear that perception and reality have become horribly mangled,” he said. “The current noise level about this ambassadorial role is not good for the IAAF and it is not good for Nike.”

“Frankly,” he added, “it is a distraction to the 18-hour days that I and our teams are working to steady the ship.”

Coe’s decision, which he said was taken in recent weeks, shows both a willingness to compromise and that he recognizes that the IAAF has bigger fish to fry at the moment than have to face questions about its president’s outside business dealings and whether they could cloud his judgement.

Coe has multiple crises to deal with.

Russia, a track and field power, is currently suspended from international competition, possibly including next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, for allowing systematic, widespread doping.

French prosecutors are investigating allegations that Diack, his sons and others at the IAAF were involved in corruption and money-laundering and an alleged blackmail scheme that squeezed bribes from athletes in return for promises to hide their positive doping tests.

Ultimately, Coe’s presidency will be judged on how effectively he puts out those and other fires. By recognizing that questions about Nike were distracting from his work, Coe signaled that he understands the need to put the interests of his sport first. He is also acknowledging that, in the long run, solving track’s problems will be better for him than digging in his heels now for personal gain.