posted on Feb, 10 2005 @ 01:50 PM
Gary Neville's claims that Nike might look to gain commercial advantage from football's latest anti-racism campaign have been strenuously denied by
the sportswear manufacturers. The England defender looked to have provoked a possible confrontation with Nike, who sponsor Manchester United's kit, by
making his outspoken comments after Wednesday night's international friendly against Holland.
Nike have been to the fore of the campaign to drum racism out of the world game since England's friendly against Spain last November, when the
Bernabeu crowd aimed monkey chants at the likes of Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Neville welcomed the anti-racism initiatives taken by
England and Holland at Villa Park but suggested the campaign might be "cheapened slightly by companies like Nike getting a lot of PR out of it for
nothing".
Yet Nike UK's corporate communications manager, Simon Charlesworth, insisted there was no ulterior motive to their campaigning, despite Neville's
claims.
Sportinglife