News

Runner Mary Cain Files $20 Million Lawsuit Against Nike & Former Coach

Distance runner Mary Cain has filed a $20 million lawsuit against her former coach and Nike after suffering emotional abuse at the Nike Oregon Project. The lawsuit comes on the heels of a scathing piece published by The New York Times in 2019 that dives into her experience of being trained by Nike.

The lawsuit depicts Cain’s coach, Alberto Salazar, as a control freak who was obsessive about his runner’s weight and didn’t shy away from publicly humiliating her about it.

“Nike was letting Alberto weight-shame women, objectify their bodies, and ignore their health and wellbeing as part of its culture,” said Kristen West McCall, a Portland lawyer representing Cain. “This was a systemic and pervasive issue. And they did it for their own gratification and profit.”

According to the lawsuit, Salazar would police Cain’s food consumption and, on multiple occasions, would demand that she stand on a scale in front of other people before promptly criticizing her.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Salazar also reportedly became fed up with the interference of her parents. “He prevented Cain from consulting with and relying on her parents, particularly her father, who is a doctor,” McCall said.

Salazar’s abuse eventually led Cain to feel depressed and consequently led to her developing an eating disorder, generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

The lawsuit alleges that Nike’s in-house sports psychology consultant, Darren Treasure, was aware of Cain’s anguish, yet Nike failed to intervene.

“Companies are responsible for the behavior of their managers. Nike’s job was to ensure that Salazar was not neglecting and abusing the athletes he coached,” the lawsuit claims.

Alex Sherman

Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University and is passionate about covering sports-related stories that extend beyond the box score.

Recent Posts

Diontae Johnson Excited To Move From Panthers To Ravens, Could Help In Playoff Push

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson is reportedly settling in well with the Baltimore Ravens after the…

14 hours ago

What Happened To Aaron Judge? After Yankees Fall Short In World Series, Fans Are Asking Questions

Aaron Judge seemed to flip the script on his disastrous World Series and postseason with…

14 hours ago

As The Yankees Collapse In World Series, Free Agency Battle For Juan Soto Begins

The New York Yankees' 2024 season came to a screeching halt Wednesday night when the…

2 days ago

Dodgers Win World Series In Game 5, Yankees Blow Five-Run Lead In Disastrous Finale

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 to win…

2 days ago

Brad Pitt Makes Surprise Appearance At Mexican Grand Prix To Shoot His Movie, ‘F1’

https://youtu.be/Y69VZZt9rt4 Brad Pitt made a surprise appearance at the Mexican Grand Prix’s practice round on Oct. 26.…

3 days ago

76er’s Joel Embiid Stays In NBA News Even While Not Playing

Joel Embiid’s name came up twice in NBA news this week as he continues to…

3 days ago