Parents sue Nike and NSAF over alleged
Parents have filed a federal lawsuit alleging a teenage athlete was sexually assaulted at the Nike Elite Program camp in July and that organizers failed in
The parents of a teenage athlete have filed a federal lawsuit against Nike and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF). They allege their daughter was sexually assaulted during the Nike Elite Program track and field camp over the July 4 weekend. The civil suit was filed on Friday.
The alleged assault occurred on July 5 at a hotel in Beaverton, Oregon. The Nike Elite Program is an annual camp held at the company's headquarters, bringing together 40 of the top high school track and field athletes in the United States. The athletes involved are minors, so their names and their parents' names are not being published.
Details of the alleged incident
The lawsuit states the camp hosts 20 male and 20 female athletes. Nike and the NSAF provided financial support covering airfare and hotel accommodations. While many parents also stayed at the hotel, the complaint says athletes were housed on a separate floor from parents and staff.
According to the legal filing, the teenage girl was at a social gathering with other athletes when she was left alone in a hotel room with a male student-athlete. The lawsuit alleges the boy repeatedly asked her for sexual favours, which she refused. It claims he then sexually assaulted her when she tried to leave the room.
The plaintiffs argue that Nike and the NSAF had a responsibility to supervise the athletes and keep them safe. They contend the organizations failed to meet that duty.
Allegations of staff negligence
The lawsuit further alleges that Nike and NSAF staff later found the girl crying in a hotel hallway. Staff then brought her to a staff member's room. There, they allegedly urged her to say the attack was consensual and forced her to sign a written statement to that effect.
This happened 30 minutes before staff sought out the student-athlete's parents. The parents were reportedly not allowed to see the statement. The lawsuit says the parents were not told their daughter had allegedly been assaulted that night. The girl told them herself the following morning.
Parents attending the camp had a separate itinerary from the athletes, leaving supervision primarily to staff. The plaintiffs say parents had been assured qualified staff would be responsible for security. The male athlete was already being removed from the program for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, a fact the plaintiffs say was not shared with other participants.
When the girl's parents confronted staff the next day, staff continued to characterize the encounter as consensual. The lawsuit claims they "aggressively" discouraged the family from contacting police. The family contacted the Beaverton Police Department on July 6. Criminal proceedings against the accused athlete are pending.
Responses from the organizations
Nike has stated it does not comment on ongoing litigation. The NSAF provided a statement to Oregon Live.
The allegations described in this filing are serious, and our first concern is for the young woman at the center of them and for her family, said NSAF CEO Josh Rowe. He added, "We do not agree with the account of events set out in the complaint, and we will respond to it fully through the legal process."
The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court. Both the civil lawsuit and the related criminal proceedings remain ongoing.
