Nike uses amputee mannequins to promote its products
By Peter Gillibrand & Manish Pandey
BBC Newsbeat
An ex-Paralympian has criticised Nike for using amputee mannequins to promote its products when it doesn’t sell single trainers.
Stef Reid, a single-leg amputee, said she was only able to buy the company’s running shoes in pairs.
She told BBC Newsbeat companies that portray “an image of diversity and inclusion” should back it with action.
Nike thanked her for raising the issue and said it was “exploring opportunities”.
It added that it hoped to learn from its One Shoe Bank programme, currently only available in the US.
The scheme, provides single-leg amputees with one free trainer each year, free of charge.
Stef, who competed at London 2012, lost part of her right leg in an accident when she was a teenager.
Image source, Getty Images
Stef Reid has competed for Great Britain in the Paralympics
After spotting a pair of Nike trainers in one of the brand’s own stores Stef says she was told she had to buy both shoes.
When Stef explained her situation, and pointed out that the shop was using one-blade, one-shoe mannequins, she says she was offered “a one-time discount”.
The retired athlete says she has “no problem paying” for her hobby, but can’t understand why she’s paying for a product when she has to “chuck the other half out”.
“I’m still only going to have one foot, so this isn’t a solution. And it’s bigger than me,” she says.
Stef says she doesn’t want “a one-time solution”, but wants to be heard.
“This isn’t just about me. They said they were going to take it to higher up.
“I just want a conversation with Nike.”
She feels it’s not a case of companies being “intentionally non-inclusive”, but more a case of “nobody’s asked the question”.
“Often I think it’s an oversight,” she says.
“I don’t have an expectation that every company is going to cater to me as an amputee, at a financial loss to them.
“But diverse and inclusive thinking can lead to a better way of doing business.”
In a TikTok video, Stef also spoke about other companies – Decathlon and Brooks Running – having similar policies.
Brooks told Newsbeat it’s “a brand that believes in the power of a diverse running community” and was “looking into solutions to fill” requests for single shoes.
Decathlon has not yet responded to Newsbeat’s request for comment.
