Sponsorship Dispute Leading To Standoff, Possible Suit Between Nick Symmonds, USATF

By Ben Fischer, Staff Writer

Published August 6, 2015 

Two-time Olympic runner Nick Symmonds said that he will sue USA Track & Field if the NGB keeps him off the national team for this month’s IAAF World Championships over a sponsorship dispute. Symmonds will not sign a contract requiring him to wear Nike-branded gear during all team functions throughout the trip -- first to Japan to train and then to the Beijing competition -- which starts Aug. 22. He said signing the contract would violate his own contract with personal sponsor Brooks Running, which he joined in January '14 after leaving Nike. USATF says he is off the team if he does not sign by Sunday.