Golf’s greatest stage just got a whole lot less Swooshy. The Olympics are where athletic dreams are made. For golfers, the Olympic Games offer a rare chance to get dressed in their national colors. But when Team USA takes to the course at the 2024 Paris Olympics, something will be missing – a familiar swoosh logo synonymous with golf’s greatest moments. So, what’s behind Nike’s absence from the USA Golf team?

It’s not a matter of Nike opting out; they haven’t been chosen as the official uniform provider. However, in a surprising move, USA Golf has partnered with J. Lindeberg, a Swedish fashion brand, to outfit its players at the Paris Olympics. The partnership was announced in March 2023. Moreover, the collaboration with J. Lindeberg will see the Swedish brand supply outfits for players, caddies, coaches, and support staff. The recent uniform reveal of the American golfers for the Olympics garnered a lot of backlash from the community. 

USA Golf executive director Andy Levinson praised the collaboration, in 2023, saying: “J.Lindeberg’s apparel combines style and athleticism, making it a perfect fit for our team.” He added: “We’re excited to work together to create a patriotic and exciting line of apparel that will be worn by the world’s top golfers and available to fans to show their support for Team USA as we build on our success from Tokyo.” 

The deal will run through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, marking a significant shift in Team USA Golf’s apparel sponsorship. The sudden change has raised eyebrows, especially given Nike’s long history of dominance in golf. Despite being the golden era of Tiger Woods and Nike’s relationship, the brand has never outfitted the USA Golf Olympics team. Lately, Nike has been slowly pulling out of the golf market.

The brand shocked the golf industry on August 3, 2016, by announcing that it had stopped manufacturing golf equipment. This decision was taken because of the declining sales and profitability of its golf equipment. Nike had been struggling for years to compete with brands like Titleist and Taylor Made.  But after 27 years of being in a lucrative partnership with Woods, Nike seems to be planning to take an exit from golf apparel too, with all the layoff news that was going around in the market. But Swoosh will still maintain a presence at the Paris Olympics, sponsoring almost all the other events.

Interestingly, Adidas has been the official uniform provider for Team USA Golf at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But Nike’s absence isn’t the only recent controversy surrounding the brand. Adding on to this, their latest uniforms for another Olympic sport have sparked a heated debate.

Nike’s uniform controversies at the 2024 Paris Olympics 

A few months ago, in April, Nike’s latest uniforms for the USA Women’s Olympic track and field team sparked fiery criticism. The unveiling in Paris was meant to be a celebratory moment, but instead, it drew sharp attention to the women’s one-piece suit with its unusually high-cut design on the legs. Athletes and fans decried the uniforms as sexist, and the backlash was swift. 

Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson took a bold stand during the Nike event, modeling a two-piece set instead of the one-piece uniform. Her rejection resonated strongly, prompting further debate about the need for inclusivity and respect in sports apparel design. As the controversy swirled, it became clear that this fight was far from over. 

Now the question remains: What’s next for Nike and the world of sports apparel? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.