Dear Editor,
IT would appear that global sponsor, Nike has dropped Alyson Felix as their brand ambassador, because she just competed unattached at the American trials. Her performance with the timings in the first round of the 400m made me put my head in both of my palms in total disappointment.

Anyone following sports would know that when penning your signature to any contact on becoming a brand ambassador for any major global sponsor, there are certain policies and guidelines an athlete must adhere to, and failing to do so comes with serious consequences.

Apparently, one of the clauses in Nike’s contract is that women athletes will not be paid if they get impregnated, and the contract is still standing. As we all know, Alyson got pregnant, and competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and got silver in the women’s 400m finals, where she lost to Shaunae Miller Uibo, who, I believe, deliberately threw herself, towards the finish line, on the ground and won the gold.

Alyson went before the senate (I think), and disclosed the life-threatening condition she was faced with, and fought for women athletes to get paid by Nike, even when becoming pregnant. I strongly believe that Nike was angered, and I think they made some adjustments to their contract policy, so women will now get paid, should they become pregnant during competition.

I believe that any major international athlete getting dropped from their sponsor will affect them mentally, and that the game will change from there onwards. In that respect, it will take a miracle for Alyson to make the podium at the upcoming Doha World Championships, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Whatever the outcome, her name listed in my book of sports will always remain where it stands, in spite of all the adversities she faces. Yes, I admit I am always biased, with Team USA ahead of Team Jamaica, and I know many who wish for Alyson not to have her swan ending, but at the end of the day, her accomplishments speak volumes.

Yours faithfully,
Trevor Pemberton