Nike cancels Benzema photoshoot over criminal past

Nike has abruptly terminated a commercial agreement with Karim Benzema, cancelling a photoshoot scheduled for Thursday with streetwear brand Corteiz the day before, according to The Athletic. The American equipment manufacturer determined that the striker’s criminal past was incompatible with its values.

“We examined Benzema’s past more closely and concluded that the player’s widely publicized misconduct was incompatible with the brand’s values,” Nike stated, emphasizing that “this project does not reflect a broader relationship between the athlete and Nike.” The company added that it “regrets that discussions went this far,” without publicly detailing the reasons for the rupture.

The decision comes in the wake of Benzema’s final conviction by the Versailles criminal court in November 2021. The French international received a one-year suspended prison sentence and a €75,000 fine for complicity in attempted blackmail in the sextape affair involving his former Real Madrid teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner was recently under contract with Adidas, the equipment manufacturer that had supported him throughout his career at Real Madrid. With that partnership now ended, the Lyon native had begun negotiations with Nike to find a new sponsor. The failure of these discussions leaves him without an official equipment sponsor at age 38.