British soccer player Wayne Rooney is the latest sports star to find himself embroiled in a scandal about his private life – and his sponsor Nike is standing by him
On Sunday, two British tabloids printed allegations that Rooney, 24, who plays for the Manchester United and England teams, visited a prostitute on several occasions last year, when his wife Coleen was pregnant.
Nike released a statement Monday saying that the company “Has worked with Wayne for seven years and he continues to be a Nike athlete,” the statement read. “This is a private matter for Wayne and his family and we have no further comment to make at this time.” Rooney’s other sponsors include Coca-Cola, which was less committal about its relationship with the soccer star. The company released a statement describing the scandal as a “private matter for Wayne Rooney and his family,” and declined to comment further.
Coleen Rooney, meanwhile, has also carved out a career as a television presenter and brand ambassador. She stars in the fall campaign for Littlewoods, the U.K. online clothing retailer and was once a face of Asda’s George clothing line. According to this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, the couple have a combined wealth of 41 million pounds, or $63.2 million at current exchange.