The ban imposed by the US Department of the Treasury on US companies to do any business or transaction with footballer Rafael Márquez and/or his companies would be the main argument that the sports firm will present to announce the withdrawal of its sponsorship for the historic captain of the national team.
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The damage assessment has come for Márquez Álvarez after the report released this Wednesday by US authorities, where he is accused of laundering money for alleged drug trafficker Raúl Flores Hernández through nine of his companies, including his foundation, a soccer school and a medical clinic.
As part of the sanctions imposed by the US Department of the Treasury on Rafael, his visa has been cancelled, his accounts in that country have been frozen, and any US company is prohibited from conducting any business or transaction with the footballer or with the companies related to him that were included in the list presented this Tuesday.
Nike, one of the world's leading sports firms, has sponsored Márquez practically throughout his career and has empowered him as their "flagship" to have a presence in the national team market after losing the contract to dress the tri-color teams to Adidas.
However, this Wednesday everything changed with the report from the US Department of the Treasury. That same day, the top executives at Nike began evaluating their relationship with Márquez, the case was passed to the legal area, and it is likely that today an official announcement will be made about the withdrawal of the sponsorship for Márquez.
The idea of the brand being associated with a character who has been officially accused of ties to drug trafficking will be decisive in supporting the announcement.
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Nike has withdrawn its sponsorship from other athletes, such as the case of Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, who in February 2016 made homophobic comments comparing homosexuals to animals. This action led the sports firm to end its relationship with the boxer.
In March 2016, tennis player Maria Sharapova lost her sponsorship from the brand due to her doping at the Australian Open.
Another case is that of cyclist Lance Armstrong, with whom Nike broke all ties in 2013 after the doping scandal of the American cyclist throughout his career.