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Image credit: Nike logo, via Wikimedia Commons.
Nike and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation are facing a federal lawsuit alleging they failed to protect a 16-year-old athlete during an elite youth track-and-field program and then mishandled her report of sexual assault, Grants Pass Tribune reported.
The lawsuit was filed Sept. 16 in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. It names Nike Inc. and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, or NSAF, as defendants and seeks a jury trial.
Lawsuit Alleges Teen Was Assaulted During Elite Program
According to the complaint, the California teenager was among roughly 40 accomplished high-school athletes invited to participate in Nike’s Elite Program in Beaverton over the July Fourth weekend.
She alleges another teenage athlete sexually assaulted her on July 5 while participants were socializing during the event.
The lawsuit does not accuse a Nike or NSAF employee of committing the alleged assault. Instead, it focuses on whether the organizations provided adequate supervision and how staff responded after the girl reported what happened.
Complaint Focuses on Staff Response
According to the complaint, staff members found the teenager crying and distressed after the alleged assault.
The lawsuit alleges they kept her apart from her mother for a period of time while questioning her and pressured her to prepare a written account describing the encounter as consensual.
Her mother allegedly was not immediately shown that statement.
The complaint also alleges neither Nike nor NSAF promptly contacted law enforcement.
The teenager’s mother later took her to a hospital, and a report was made to the Beaverton Police Department.
Lawsuit Raises Questions About Supervision of Minors
Because the program brought high-school athletes from around the country to Oregon for several days of training and organized activities, the case could examine how participants were supervised while away from home.
Potential issues include lodging arrangements, adult supervision, rules governing interactions among athletes, parent notification and how staff were trained to respond when a minor reported sexual violence.
The lawsuit may also raise questions about mandatory reporting and whether possible evidence was properly preserved after the report.
Case Highlights Institutional Responsibility in Youth Sports
The lawsuit raises a broader question that extends beyond one alleged assault: what responsibilities do organizations assume when they invite minors to participate in overnight or multi-day athletic programs away from their families?
Youth sports cases can examine whether organizers provided adequate supervision, established clear reporting procedures and responded appropriately when a child disclosed abuse.
Learn More About Institutional Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
When sexual abuse is alleged during a youth sports program, camp, school or other organized activity, a civil case may examine whether the institution failed to provide adequate supervision, ignored warning signs or mishandled a survivor’s report.
Learn more about institutional responsibility and survivor claims in our Institutional Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide.
