Athletics chief Sebastian Coe gives up role with Nike in bid to fend off conflict-of-interest claims

Although new to his job, Sebastian Coe has already learned that some battles are simply not worth fighting when you're trying to lead a major sport out of crisis.

The head of track and field's governing body announced Thursday that he has given up his role as a special adviser to Nike Inc. That relationship was longstanding, dating back to his years as a star middle-distance runner, and it was lucrative, reportedly worth £100,000 (HK$1.1 million) to him each year.

But that link has become a millstone around Coe's neck since he was elected president of the International Association of Athletics Federations in August, because it left the former Olympic champion open to critics' accusations that he might put the interests of the sportswear giant before those of his sport.

Coe said Thursday that he still believes it is possible to be both a Nike ambassador and lead the IAAF without it being a conflict of interest. But he said he was giving up the Nike position because discussion about that role is distracting from his No. 1 mission: saving track and field from a crisis of confidence sparked by revelations of widespread doping in Russia, and alleged corruption at the very top of the IAAF under Coe's predecessor, Lamine Diack.

“It is clear that perception and reality have become horribly mangled,” he said. “The current noise level about this ambassadorial role is not good for the IAAF and it is not good for Nike.”

“Frankly,” he added, “it is a distraction to the 18-hour days that I and our teams are working to steady the ship.”