The investigative and provocative documentary, directed by multi award-winning producer Paul Kemp (Transformer, Village of the Missing, The Rise of Jordan Peterson), also available as a 60-minute version, has been acquired by Sky (UK), DR (Denmark), Channel Hot8 (Israel), WATCHA (South Korea), CANAL+ (Poland) and Nordic Entertainment Group (Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Baltics). CBC (Canada) and ZDF/Arte (Germany/France) came on board early as partners of the film through deals brokered with the film's producers.
Produced/Executive Produced by Corey Russell (The Go-Go’s, Killing Patient Zero), Nike’s Big Bet: Alberto Salazar and the Fine Line of Sport reveals the story of one of the world’s most famous athletics coaches, legendary Alberto Salazar, who was found guilty of doping violations which sent shockwaves through the sport.
Managing Director of AMR, Jonathan Ford, comments “With the delayed Olympics set to run later in the year, this is a timely feature documentary which reveals the shocking downfall of one of the most high-profile coaches in the world. It’s must-see factual television.”
The greatest track team ever assembled was blown apart when its coach was handed a four-year doping ban from all coaching activities. Salazar’s stable of world champions and national team elites were thrown for a loop just as their races transpired. Meanwhile, haters and defenders the world over went ballistic, either maligning Salazar as a scourge on the sport, or in defending him as the greatest coach of all time who had only the flimsiest of evidence lodged against him.
Indeed, not one of Salazar’s athletes over the decades, and despite thousands of drug tests, has ever tested positive. The bottom line was that the US Anti-Doping Association (USADA), had rendered its verdict and was not budging. Salazar was out.
Within a week The Nike Oregon Project (NOP) was disbanded. Two weeks later the CEO of Nike, Mark Parker, was gone.
This film will uncover the truth of what really happened, from all sides, including from Nike and Salazar, as well as the athletes and those steeped in the sport who believe a line was crossed.
