LRC Exclusive: Amy Yoder Begley’s Infamous NOP “No Friends” Contract Leaked

By LetsRun.com
April 1, 2020

In November, the New York Times revealed that, while a member of the Nike Oregon Project from 2007 to 2011, elite runner Amy Yoder Begley was asked to sign a contract stating that she could not become friends with other runners on the team. Yoder Begley was told by NOP coach Alberto Salazar that her laugh was annoying him and her teammates and that she was “bringing down the rest of the team” by mourning the death of her dog at a workout. Those incidents led Salazar to ask Yoder Begley to sign the contract.

Recently, an anonymous source sent LetsRun.com a copy of the contract. We have published the contract in its entirety below.

NIKE OREGON PROJECT RULES

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  1. You are not allowed to be friends with other athletes on the team. We already had the best, coolest training group in the whole wide world before you joined and don’t need any more friends. Plus if you become friends with them, they might realize how big your butt is and think that’s a good thing.
  2. You must stay out of our super-secret fort in the woods behind the track. And don’t bother asking Galen or Mo for the password because I already told them not to give it to you. No girls allowed! 
  3. No laughing at practice. We all took a vote and think your laugh is stupid and annoying and just the worst. 
  4. While we’re at it, no smiling either. Our logo is a skull, not a fucking lollipop. 
  5. ABSOLUTELY NO SOCIALIZING WITH JERRY SCHUMACHER OR ANY OF HIS FRIENDS. Jerry is mean and I don’t like him so I kicked him out of our club. If anyone from his group shows up to the track, walk to the other side. Don’t even make eye contact with them. If one of them tries to talk to you, tell me or Darren Treasure immediately. 
  6. Never interrupt me if I’m massaging Galen the night before a big meet. And if you do interrupt me during a massage, definitely make sure I don’t touch you. This is for your own good. 
  7. When asked by WADA or USADA if you’ve had any infusions, you are to say no. The way we have taken L-Carnitine and iron is classified as an injection. So no TUE’s and no declaration needed, not online and not when asked about infusions when getting drug tested in or out of competition. 

Violation of any of the above rules can result in suspension of pay and constitutes grounds for dismissal from the team.

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Athlete name (print)                           Signature                                      

 

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