Nike is rocked by toxic sexual assault scandal as executive chairman's ex-sister in law breaks cover claiming a manager locked her in a hotel room, pinned her up against a wall and forcefully kissed her

The former sister-in-law of Nike's executive chairman has accused a manager of sexually assaulting her in a hotel room nearly 30 years ago.

Pam Parker told Oregon Live that, in the 90s, when she was first starting out at the company, she entered the hotel room of a manager, who proceeded to lock the door, pin her against a wall, and forcefully kiss her.

Two years ago, Parker signed a statement about her experiences at the iconic company, where she worked from 1989 to 1998, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Parker is the former sister-in-law of Mark Parker, Nike's current executive chairman and former CEO. She married his brother Bob in 2003 but the pair recently divorced.

The outlet reports that Pam is the first woman to come forward with claims of inappropriate sexual conduct at Nike who has a direct tie to the company's executive circle.

Pam Parker (pictured) said that, in the 90s, when she was first starting out at the company, she entered the hotel room of a manager, who proceeded to lock the door, pin her against a wall, and forcefully kiss her

Pam Parker is the former sister-in-law of Mark Parker (pictured) the executive chairman and former CEO of Nike

In a letter she wrote, but never sent to Mark Parker, she recounted what happened in a Florida hotel room around 1995 - at the time, Nike executives often used private rooms to discuss business.

'I can’t describe to you the horrific feeling I had in my gut. I didn’t know what to say, I was scared to death thinking quickly. I felt like I had to stay or my career was over,' she wrote.

'Losing my job was nothing compared to losing my dignity. I went for the door and when I tried to get out, the door was locked with a security bolt or chain, I can’t remember which. I was so flustered it was difficult to get out. 

'By that time (he) was at the door and he banged it shut from the small crack I had opened with the security chain on. He pushed me against the door and force kissed me. He slammed his body against mine. Please remember, I weighed only 110 pounds at the time.

'I struggled to get away and pushed him as hard as I could. He relented and let me out.'

Parker claims she told three coworkers and the HR department about the encounter inside of the next 24 hours. 

In her account, Pam Parker says the company would go on to 'do nothing' to protect her from her alleged assailant 

Pam recently got divorced from Bob Parker, a brother of Mark's. She added in her statement that her claims are not in any way aimed at the Parker family.

She said she did not tell Mark Parker about the alleged assault until several years ago, and at the time of the incident, he was a general manager with no knowledge of her. 

Nike is currently fighting a major sex-based discrimination suit, in which women claim to have had similar experiences to Pam Parker's

The series of unsealed documents provide shocking, anonymous accounts from female staffers who worked at the the firm's Oregon headquarters, alleging sexist attitudes and behavior by company brass

Oregon Live reports that Pam's account of her time at Nike tells a similar story to those of other women who have come forward with claims about sexism at the company.

In addition to sex-based discrimination, Pam claims that she saw prostitutes on company trips abroad, and witnessed the human resources department cover for company leaders.

On a business trip to Asia, Pam recounted going to dinner with her colleagues and ending up in a bar where women had numbers on their hips and her male colleagues would pick a number and go to a room with the corresponding woman.

On other business trips, owners of the factories at which Nike products are produced - entities separate from the company itself - would allegedly provide prostitutes to male executives at the end of a long work day. 

'During my tenure at Nike, I experienced a work environment that was hostile, demeaning and misogynistic towards female employees,' she wrote in her statement.

She added that it was the company's 'senior leadership' who 'set the tone for the toxic work environment' in which she existed.

That narrative runs counter to the one currently being argued by Nike's lawyers in court in a big sex-based discrimination suit that the company is currently fighting.

Pam Parker is not a part of that lawsuit, though her statement is similar to those given by several of the women involved. 

In 2018, after reports of Nike's allegedly toxic work environment began to permeate the mainstream, the company insisted that its culture issues were stemming from an 'insular group of high-level managers' who 'protected each other and looked the other way.'

Pam Parker claims that those issues actually come straight from the executive level, and not a small group of managers. Oregon Live says some 24 women corroborated Pam's account of the culture.

On business trips to Asia, owners of the factories at which Nike products are produced - entities separate from the company itself - would allegedly provide prostitutes to male executives at the end of a long work day

Following then-CEO Mark Parker's 2018 apology for the cultural problems at the company, Nike has begun tying executive compensation to meeting diversity and inclusion goals

One anonymous former Nike employee told the outlet: 'When you work hard, it’s nice to have that play hard element as well. 

'But there has to be a line. There has to be a way to maintain that fraternal culture without women taking such a big hit and being in such uncomfortable situations. That’s the shame in it all. 

'The culture has so much spirit. But somehow, along the line, it sort of lost its way.'

Nike, as part of its gender-discrimination lawsuit, filed sworn statement from dozens of female employees who outlined a very different experience working for the sports apparel giant.

'I do not feel like my gender has ever impacted my pay, performance ratings, or promotional opportunities at Nike, and I do not think I have been treated any differently by my managers because of my gender,' wrote one female employee.

But, on documents unsealed as part of the same suit, informal surveys of women at the company contained descriptions of 'men sloppy drunk putting their arms around a waitress and/or female coworkers on work travel.'

And men who try to 'sleep with women in their function at lower levels by luring them in through the promise of a "work dinner."'

It is not clear how the discrimination lawsuit will eventually play out, but following then-CEO Mark Parker's 2018 apology for the cultural problems at the company, Nike has begun tying executive compensation to meeting diversity and inclusion goals.

Now, 44 percent of Nike's leadership are women - up eight percent points since Parker apologized - though he has since stepped down as CEO.