Vorschau

Nike established the Oregon Project in 2001 as a groundbreaking program to develop elite runners and put Americans back on top of the podium. Coaching legend Alberto Salazar was put in charge of the program and given free reign to employ his unorthodox tactics to deliver results. In 2019, despite never failing a drug test and his athletes never testing positive, he received a four-year doping ban from all coaching activities and the project immediately collapsed. To his fans, including an outspoken Malcolm Gladwell, Salazar’s methods justified the means by pushing the boundaries of what’s fair in sport. But to others, including former protégés, he was abusive and manipulative—wielding an unchecked control over their careers and well-being. With a win-at-all-costs attitude and a sport built upon the margins of human limits, is Salazar really a villain or a victim of a corporate culture that would do anything for a competitive edge? This film uncovers the truth of what really happened, from all sides of this story, including from Nike and Salazar, as well as the athletes and those steeped in the sport who believe a line was crossed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP7r0fm6x70

Athletics Illustrated | Paul Kemp interview on his documentary Nike’s Big Bet
Realscreen | Sky acquires Paul Kemp’s “Nike’s Big Bet” ahead of Hot Docs premiere

Trailer

Video

Am Donnerstag dem 29. April war die Premiere des Films beim kanadischen Filmfestival Hot Docs. Einer der Darsteller soll auch Cameron Levins sein, der am Pfingstwochenende im steirischen Fürstenfeld beim S7 Marathon am Start stehen soll.

In Deutschland ist die Übertragung auf ZDFzoom (in einer abgewandelten 30-minütigen Version) am 20./21. Juli laut einem Interview mit Produzent Paul Kemp geplant.

Interview mit Produzent Paul Kemp über die Hintergründe zum Film