Nike suspends sponsorship contract with Pistorius.
"We believe Oscar Pistorius is entitled to due process, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely," the company said in a statement; the Olympic and Paralympic athlete is suspected of killing his girlfriend last week.
LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Sports brand Nike suspended its sponsorship contract with Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius on Thursday, who is suspected of killing his girlfriend last week.
Nike had sponsored Pistorius since 2007, providing him with running accessories such as the special soles that the double amputee athlete uses on the base of his curved carbon fiber prostheses.
"We believe Oscar Pistorius is entitled to due process, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely," the company said in a statement, confirming the suspension of the contract.
The world's largest manufacturer of sporting goods, Nike, had already broken a long-standing sponsorship contract with cyclist Lance Armstrong last year, who was involved in doping allegations.
Pistorius, the most famous Paralympic athlete of all time, has sponsorship deals worth $2 million a year with companies including the British telecommunications company BT, the sunglasses manufacturer Oakley, and the French fashion designer Thierry Mugler.
(Reporting by Keith Weir)