Nick Symmonds left off USATF roster for World Championships

U.S. 800-meter champion Nick Symmonds has been left off USATF's roster for this month's IAAF World Championships for refusing to wear Nike.
Nick Symmonds left off USATF roster for World Championships
Nick Symmonds left off USATF roster for World Championships /

National 800-meter champion Nick Symmonds has been left off the U.S.A. Track & Field roster headed to this month's IAAF World Championships after refusing to sign a mandatory athlete statement of conditions that requires him to wear Nike gear for all team functions. 

Symmonds was informed of his omission on Sunday night. USATF is expected to officially announce the full world championship roster on Monday.

In Jan. 2014, Symmonds signed a contract to run for Brooks Running after a seven-year relationship with Nike. Symmonds believes that by signing the statement of conditions, he would violate his contract with Brooks.

USATF has a contract with Nike that runs through 2040.

Symmonds, 31, had until the end of Sunday to sign his statement of conditions, but the deadline passed without the two-time Olympian budging on his stance. 

Nick Symmonds may miss World Championship due to USATF dispute

U.S.A. Outdoor Championship fourth place finisher Clayton Murphy of Akron is the next likely candidate to take Symmonds' spot on the team.

Symmonds won a silver medal at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow. In 2015, he has run a season's best of 1:44.53 at the U.S.A. Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene. 

The IAAF World Championships are set to begin on Aug. 22 in Beijing. 

- Christopher Chavez


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