US government agency accuses Nike of anti-White discrimination

New York - A US government agency on Wednesday asked the courts to enforce a subpoena against Nike, accusing the sportswear giant of discriminatory practices against White people.

Nike “has failed to provide all the requested information,” wrote the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a document asking a Missouri court to enforce a subpoena. The EEOC is the federal agency responsible for enforcing laws against workplace discrimination.

According to the document, the agency's director, Andrea Lucas, stated in 2024 that Nike had allegedly broken the law. The company is accused of “engaging in a pattern or practice of discriminatory treatment against” White people, including “employees, applicants and participants in training programmes.” Nike also set a target of 30 percent of employees from ethnic minorities for management positions.

President Donald Trump promoted Lucas to head the agency in November, after appointing her as a member in 2020. She opposes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes.

The EEOC's action constitutes a “surprising and unusual escalation,” Nike responded, stating it is acting in “good faith” during the authorities' investigation.

“We have shared thousands of pages of information and specific written responses to the EEOC's investigation, and are in the process of providing additional information,” Nike stated in an email to AFP.

“We are committed to fair and lawful employment practices and to following all applicable laws, including those that prohibit discrimination,” the Beaverton, Oregon-based giant assured.

Nike has sometimes been known for its political stances, such as an advertising campaign centred on former American football player Colin Kaepernick. In 2016, he knelt during the American national anthem as a sign of protest against police violence towards minorities. The campaign drew condemnation from American conservatives like Donald Trump.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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