Abuse has no place in sports, but it’s a persistent storyline.
Most people know the name, Mary Cain. Cain broke records in track and field in high school and was known as the fastest woman in America. Not only did Cain set many national records, but she was also a straight-A student. Many thought it was only a matter of time before the world would be watching her compete in the Olympics.
Courtesy: USAToday.com
So it didn’t come as a surprise when–at the age of 16 years–she got a call from Nike’s Alberto Salazar. He told her that she was one of the fastest women runners he had ever seen and that he wanted to invite her to Nike’s world headquarters to train at what was called “The Oregon Project.”
Salazar was considered to be one of the best, if not the best, track coach. For Cain, it was a dream come true. But before long, the dream turned into something else.
Cain found herself emotionally and physically abused by a system designed by the coaching staff and endorsed by Nike. For starters, this thinly-built woman was told that she had to lose weight. When Cain felt uncomfortable about that decision and tried talking with the staff about it, she was advised to “just listen to Alberto.”
Salazar would weigh her before peers and, if Mary did not meet the weight goal set for her, he would shame her for it. Mary capitulated and did lose weight–but it came with a price tag. She developed RED-S Syndrome and missed her period for three years. The regimen also affected her bone health to the point that she began braking bones.
Mary Cain felt alone, trapped, and started having suicidal thoughts. She wasn’t performing well, either.
After one particular race, Salazar yelled at Cain in public about her weight. That was the day Cain told her coaches that she was cutting herself. They minimized it and gave her weight-loss drugs.
Finally, Cain had enough–and the courage–to call her parents and tell them what was happening. They told her to get on a plane and leave. Cain took that advice and quit the team.
In September 2019, after an investigation, Alberto Salazar was banned from the sport for four years. A month later, Nike shut down the Oregon Project. CEO Mark Parker will step down in January 2020.
In retrospect, Mary Cain wishes that she would have spoken sooner about what was happening to her. But the important thing is that she’s ok. And she still loves to run.
