Neymar claims to be the victim of an extortion trap 3:55
New York / São Paulo (CNN Business) -
Nike said it cut ties with Neymar in 2020 because the Brazilian soccer superstar refused to cooperate with an unfinished investigation into allegations of sexual assault made by one of the company's employees.
The sportswear giant confirmed in a statement to CNN Business late Thursday that its decision stemmed from allegations a Nike employee brought to the company in 2018. The incident allegedly occurred in 2016.
Nike said the employee initially wanted to keep the incident confidential, but decided in 2019 to carry out an investigation.
Nike says it commissioned an independent investigation and hired independent legal counsel for the employee.
She selected the attorney and the company paid the expenses, Nike said.
Woman who accused Neymar of rape is denounced by the police for fraud and extortion
Neymar accused of rape 2:11
"From the beginning, we have treated the allegations of the employee and her experience with great seriousness," the company said in a statement to CNN Business.
Nike did not name the employee, and CNN Business generally does not name people who claim to be victims of sexual assault.
Nike said the investigation was "inconclusive" and added that "it would be inappropriate for Nike to make an accusatory statement without being able to provide supporting facts."
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But the company added that it ended its relationship with Neymar "because it refused to cooperate in a good faith investigation of credible allegations of wrongdoing by an employee."
Neymar's representative Dayane Crespo told CNN Business that the Paris Saint-Germain player denies the allegations, adding that his relationship with Nike ended "for commercial reasons."
"Neymar Jr. will vigorously defend himself against these unfounded attacks in case accusations are made, which has not happened so far," added the representative.
"It is quite strange that a case that supposedly happened in 2016, with complaints made by a Nike employee, appears only at this time."
The details of the accusation of rape against Neymar
Neymar's father, Neymar da Silva Santos, also denied the latest accusations against his son in an interview with the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, saying that "we were surprised" and "Neymar does not even know this girl."
CNN Business has reached out to the father for comment.
News of the alleged 2016 incident and Nike's reasons for ending its relationship with Neymar were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal report shed new light on the end of a 15-year partnership between Neymar and Nike.
The athlete's departure from Nike was made public late last summer, around the same time that Puma announced it had hired him.
Puma did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Neymar was previously accused of rape by a Brazilian woman in 2019, although he has vehemently denied all allegations against him.
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