Nike Suffers Backlash From American Track & Field Star as Uniform Controversy Haunts at World Relays

Team Great Britain delivered an outstanding track and field performance at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou. In the inaugural mixed 4x100m relay final, Team GB clinched a thrilling third-place finish. The momentum didn’t stop there—GB’s women’s 4x100m relay team stormed to a silver medal, booking their ticket to this year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the women’s 4x400m squad went one better, claiming gold and standing tall atop the podium. On the flip side, Team USA’s men showed they were not to be outdone. The quartet of Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Brandon Hicklin posted a season’s best time of 37.66 seconds to finish second and secure their spot in Tokyo as well. But amid the celebrations, a different kind of buzz took over social media—and it had nothing to do with medals.

The spark? Team uniforms. Or more specifically, the striking similarity between Team USA’s and Team GB’s track and field kits—both designed by Nike. Olympian Rori Dunk took to X (formerly Twitter) on May 9: “There’s something similar about the USA & Great Britain’s competition jersey …Can’t quite put my finger on it.” The post came just hours after USA sprint star Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry had already opened up about her disappointment with the kits. And she didn’t beat about the bush. “Let me send that tweet to Nike and tell them that’s why they have to stop being lazy when making the uniforms,” she wrote. Ouch. That one landed.

Terry and Dunk’s comments reignited a long-running frustration among athletes and fans alike—how can two powerhouse nations show up on the world stage in virtually identical kits? Aside from the country logos, the designs were nearly indistinguishable, leading to confusion and criticism, especially directed at Nike. And this isn’t the first time Nike’s design choices for Team GB have come under fire. Past complaints have surfaced around a lack of creativity and national identity in kit designs.

But it wasn’t just Olympians like Rori Dunk and Twanisha Terry raising eyebrows—sports fans and journalists have been sounding the alarm for a while now. The déjà vu over Nike’s designs has become a recurring theme, and it’s gaining momentum. Sports journalist Lillian chimed in earlier this year during the World Athletics Indoor Championships, posting bluntly on X: “Nike really didn’t try with the US & UK kits lmaooo.” and she wasn’t alone.

Track and field commentator Travis Miller added fuel to the fire during the recent World Athletics Relays, tweeting: “Those Team USA & Great Britain Nike uniforms looking the EXACT same…” Therefore, the issue with the uniforms has been going on for long time. It’s clear the frustration isn’t new. And while the current uproar centers on Team USA and Team GB’s track and field squads, last year Nike found itself in hot water over a different kit controversy—this time, unrelated to the British athletics team. 

Away from track & field kit, Nike came to the center of debate for different reasons

Before this whole track and field uniform conundrum, Nike’s reveal of the new England football kits for UEFA Euro 2024 was supposed to rally fans—what it did instead was spark a national debate. The controversy? A bold tweak to one of the most iconic symbols in English sport: the St. George’s Cross.

Traditionally a red cross on a white background, the St. George’s Cross was subtly altered in Nike’s latest design, with the brand opting for a multicolor version of the flag detail on the back of the collar. That small change created a big stir. Outrage rippled across social media, with some fans calling for a boycott of Nike altogether.

The criticism wasn’t just coming from the stands, either— the then U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak himself weighed in, joining a growing number of public figures and politicians who slammed the redesign as disrespectful to national heritage.