RELATED: Nike Suspends Adrian Peterson's Endorsement Deal
RELATED: It Took Nike 82 Weeks to Officially Drop Oscar Pistorius' Sponsorship Deal
Justin Gatlin
Reason: Performance Enhancing Drugs
Olympic Gold medalist sprinter Justin Gatlin became the first ever athlete suspended from Nike after testing positive for steroids in 2006. What makes Gatlin's punishment bizarre though is a 2012 New York Times piece in which Nike stated that it still supplied training equipment to Gatlin even though his sponsorship deal was put on hold.
Marion Jones
Reason: Performance Enhancing Drugs
Jones is the only female athlete to be dropped by Nike, after the Swoosh declined to renew her contract following her involvement with the BALCO doping scandal. After admitting to doping, Jones was stripped of all three of her Gold Medals from the 2000 Olympic Summer Games in Sydney, Australia.
Michael Vick
Reason: Dog fighting
Upon his entry into the NFL, Vick was arguably the league's most popular player landing a lucrative contract with Nike, as well as the Madden NFL 2004 cover. However, following his conviction on dog fighting charges, Nike quickly distanced itself from the star quarterback. However, Nike did resign the quarterback in 2011, following a season which saw him win NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors.
1.
Lance Armstrong
Reason: Performance Enhancing Drugs
At one time, Nike and Lance Armstrong were as synonymous as the brand and Tiger Woods or Micahel Jordan, even giving birth to Armstrong's enormously popular Livestrong charity. However, after numerously denying doping claims, Armstrong finally came clean to cheating in 2012 which prompted Nike to terminate contract with the seven-time Tour de France Winner.
Ray Rice
Reason: Domestic violence
The first of three athletes to be suspended within a week from Nike, Rice came under heavy scrutiny after video surfaced of him attacking his then fiancé in an Atlantic City elevator. Not only was Rice dropped from Nike, he was ultimately released from the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
Oscar Pistorius
Reason: Negligent homicide
Pistorius took a huge fall from grace after 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London once allegations surfaced that he shot and killed his girlfriend at his home. Nike suspended Pistorius' deal in February of 2013 but did not officially drop the one time track star from his contract until 82 weeks later.
Adrian Peterson
Reason: Child abuse
The latest Nike athlete to be suspended, Peterson's contract was officially put on hiatus today after numerous allegations of child abuse surfaced. Peterson's suspension came just a day after Nike stores in the Minnesota area pulled his jersey from the shelves.
RELATED: Nike Suspends Adrian Peterson's Endorsement Deal
RELATED: It Took Nike 82 Weeks to Officially Drop Oscar Pistorius' Sponsorship Deal
