The College of the Ozarks, a Christian liberal arts college in Point Lookout, Missouri, said it will strip its players of Nike-branded uniforms following…
The College of the Ozarks, a Christian liberal arts college in Point Lookout, Missouri, said it will strip its players of Nike-branded uniforms following the company’s ad campaign featuring activist Colin Kaepernick.
«In their new ad campaign, we believe Nike executives are promoting an attitude of division and disrespect toward America,» College of the Ozarks President Jerry C. Davis said in a statement provided to a local Fox affiliate.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since 2016, after he protested police brutality against minorities by sitting or kneeling during pre-game performances of the national anthem. He’s currently involved in a lawsuit with the NFL, alleging that team owners conspired to keep him off the league because of his protests.
Colin Kaepernick is the face of Nike’s 30th-anniversary «Just Do It» campaign. Nike
Kaepernick’s actions sparked widespread controversy, and some political conservatives mis-characterized his actions by accusing him of protesting veterans.
«If Nike is ashamed of America, we are ashamed of them,» Davis said in his statement. «We also believe that those who know what sacrifice is all about are more likely to be wearing a military uniform than an athletic uniform.»
The college, which competes at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level, has waded into this controversy before. It has banned the practice of protesting during the national anthem on its own campus. And in 2017, it said its players would not compete with any opposing team with any players who take a knee, sit, or turn their back while the anthem is played.
In response, the NAIA said it would find a new location for its championship, though the College of Ozarks has hosted it for the past 18 years.
Dr. Marci Linson, vice president of patriotic activities and dean of admissions at the college, stands behind the school’s decision. «Nike is free to campaign as it sees fit, as the college is free — and honor-bound by its mission and goals — to ensure that it respects our country and those who truly served and sacrificed,» Linson said in a statement to ABC .
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