Athletics boss ends Nike deal
The head of world athletics says he's ended a personal contract with Nike as the athletics world tackles a flurry of doping and corruption issues. Paul Chapman reports.
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PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING The president of the International Association of Athletics Federations has bowed to weeks of pressure to end a personal deal with sportswear firm Nike. Sebastian Coe says he's now ended the contract, reportedly worth 150, 000 dollars a year, but denies there was any conflict of interest. (SOUNDBITE)(English) IAAF PRESIDENT SEBASTIAN COE SAYING: "I've always declared my interests with Nike as I have across a range of activities but it was purely on the basis that I felt that I needed to be able to focus, as I said, unflinchingly on the challenges ahead with my colleagues and particularly with the executive teams here at our headquarters and it had become a distraction, there's no doubt about that." Coe says athletics has been "shamed" by relentless doping cases and corruption allegations. He's promised to do all he can to clean up the battered reputation of his sport and the organisation that runs it His predecessor is being questioned by French police over claims he took payments to ensure athletes who failed drugs tests were still free to compete.