Lacoste CEO Thierry Guibert defended
Novak Djokovic after the former Nike CEO Mike Nakajima made some interesting comments about the Serbian.
Nakajima spoke with CNN and talked about his role as the former CEO of Nike. The sporting brand sponsors many athletes but Novak Djokovic wasn't really on their radar because there was always some kind of dark cloud around him. The comments might have to do with why the Serbian and Nike never worked together but according to reports he rejected the brand twice (in 2012 and 2017). It was in 2017 when he signed with Lacoste.
The CEO of that brand defend Djokovic after the comments of Nakajima:
"Lacoste is so proud to have Nole and would never choose Nadal (with all due respect to him)
Thanks @NDjokofan for the English translation."
If you wonder what Nakajima said, here you go:
“He could well be the most successful tennis player ever.
But there’s always a dark cloud around him. It’s like he brings it upon
himself. He hits the lineswoman at the US Open (in 2020) and gets
disqualified? It happens, I guess. But why does
it always happen to Novak? Or the whole controversy about the Covid-19
vaccination. Now, as a brand: do I want to be behind somebody who always
has controversy around him? Or do I want to go with an athlete with a
squeaky clean image?”