Nike has suspended its endorsement deal with Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson amid sexual assault allegations towards the NFL star, the attire producer mentioned Wednesday. “We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson,” Nike mentioned in an announcement. “We will continue to closely monitor the situation.” Watson is going through civil lawsuits from 22 ladies, all filed within the final month, alleging sexual misconduct starting from assault to obscene sexual gestures throughout skilled therapeutic massage remedy periods he had booked.
Allegations towards Watson embrace forcing a masseuse to carry out a intercourse act and touching others with his genitals.
Watson has strongly denied wrongdoing, and his legal professional, Rusty Hardin, has mentioned his investigators had discovered “strong evidence” indicating one accuser’s story was false.
However, the Houston Police Department has confirmed that Watson was being investigated for an unspecified offense following the submitting of a proper grievance towards the Texans star.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy mentioned Tuesday that the league was investigating the claims towards 25-year-old Watson, some of the gifted quarterbacks within the NFL and extremely coveted this yr as he agitates for a transfer away from the Texans.
“The allegations are deeply disturbing and we take these issues very seriously,” McCarthy mentioned in an announcement launched to US media. “Immediately following news of the first allegations last month, and as has been reported, we initiated an investigation under the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy.
“We are continuing to closely monitor all developments in the matter.”
Even if Watson isn’t convicted of against the law, the NFL might droop him if it finds he has violated the league’s code of conduct.
Nike’s motion on Wednesday got here after two of Watson’s accusers, 22-year-old Ashley Solis, and Lauren Baxley, revealed their identities publicly.
“I got into massage therapy to heal people,” Solis, the primary girl to sue Watson, mentioned at a press convention on Tuesday. “To heal their minds and bodies. To bring peace to their souls. Deshaun Watson has robbed me of that. He took that away from me, he tainted a profession in which I take enormous pride.”
Solis mentioned she suffered from panic assaults, anxiousness and despair and was in counseling as the results of Watson’s actions.
After Tuesday’s press convention, Hardin’s legislation agency mentioned in an announcement that the legislation agency of Tony Buzbee, which is representing the plaintiffs, had “sought $100,000 in hush money on behalf of Ms. Solis to quietly settle the allegations the month before he filed the first lawsuit.”
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