Nike is the latest corporate giant to suspend its sponsorship of Hockey Canada.
The announcement caps a week that saw other corporate sponsors including Chevrolet Canada, Scotiabank and Canadian Tire suspend their support for Hockey Canada.
Nike spokesperson Sandra Carreon-John said Friday the athletic brand made the move because it was “deeply concerned” by the ongoing reports around the hockey organization.
“Nike believes sport should create a safe, supportive environment for all athletes. We’re deeply concerned by the ongoing reports around Hockey Canada. We believe significant and substantive action is required to support athletes and transform hockey for future generations,” her statement said.
“After further review of Hockey Canada’s response, we’ve suspended our relationship with the federation and paused our support. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and await more information regarding Hockey Canada’s actions to address the findings in these investigations and create a safe environment for all athletes.”
All four of Hockey Canada’s premier partners — Nike, Imperial Oil, Telus and Tim Hortons — have now either stopped or suspended their support of the organization.
Earlier Friday, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage and Moncton, N.B. Mayor Dawn Arnold put out a joint statement calling for change in Hockey Canada before the World Junior Championship in those cities starts on Dec. 26.
“We believe we have the local expertise and experience to welcome the world’s best young hockey players to our cities, but we are deeply concerned about Hockey Canada’s lack of judgement and professionalism. We look for meaningful changes within Hockey Canada prior to the World Junior Championship taking place in our cities,” the statement said.
