by Alfonz Juck
Boris Berian, photo by PhotoRun.net
EUGENE (USA): Nike has dropped its lawsuit against Boris Berian ahead of the American Olympic Trials in Eugene, informs AFP. “Nike has dropped the lawsuit against Boris. Boris will compete in the Olympic trials. He is in a good frame of mind,” said his agent Merhawi Keflezighi. Berian moved from Nike to New Balance earlier this season but Nike maintained it had tabled an offer equivalent as they were free to do as stipulated in the contract.
Larry Eder opines: This was a great PR decision for Nike. While there is much to this lawsuit that may have not revealed in public, this was a PR nightmere. Glad to see Boris Berian competing, as that 800 meters is going to be amazing in Eugene! Our sport is polarized, too focused, and inward looking, not outward looking. It is also much more complicated than outsiders see. Our sport is at a cusp. This may be the last time we can actually make progess in cleaning up the sport. This may also be the last time we can take the sport from the 19th century and its autocratic birth, to the possiblity of making athletics the largest sport, for entertainment and fitness.
