“Runners Welcome, Walkers Tolerated” – Nike
At the 2026 Boston Marathon, Nike ran an ad, “Runners Welcome, Walkers Tolerated.
I don't respond to rage bait from brands. I prefer to move forward and focus on my goals. But this time I felt compelled to respond, because a giant pool of hard working para athletes got slapped in the face by Nike.
So I responded on social media. Here is what I said,
“I’m surprised you are surprised that Nike would run this ad. As a para athlete, meaning a disabled runner, I will run, walk, and crawl to a finish. Yet Nike reached out to me for a shoot, here’s the receipt. I guess they’ll tolerate us if it means we can extract more sales from you. This is especially problematic because the Boston Marathon is the premiere 26.2 event for para athletes. This means that you will watch them roll, run, and walk to a finish. Yet Nike’s marketing team, that likely doesn’t include any runners, decided to welcome them with a sign that says you’re tolerated. What the F…”
You can watch the Instagram Reel here,
View this post on Instagram
Media reached out requesting an interview and I accepted an interview request from a Boston University reporter.
The Boston University reporter wrote this,
Scott Davidson, a professional para runner since 2019 who was born with severe bilateral clubfoot — a birth condition that impacts both of his lower limbs — called the sign “tone deaf.”
Davidson, an ultra runner, said Nike did not consider the variety of athletes that enter the Boston Marathon. He criticized the sign for overlooking Boston Marathon bombing survivors who continue to race with disabilities.
“We’ve had actual victims that are now amputees coming back, circling back and run-walking it,” Davidson said. “You alienated a big crowd, and you alienated your elite paras that are rolling to the distance.”
Davidson said the advertisement reminded him of the discrimination and lack of inclusivity disabled people face throughout their lives.
“We got a multibillion dollar company just trashing us because we don’t run to their standards,” he said.
Davidson shared that before the controversy, Nike reached out to him for a collaborative photoshoot, but he felt the brand catered towards a “certain mold” and the advertisement was “out of touch” with the mentality of the running community.
“They’ve missed out on the idea that a lot of the people that consume their product or take part in these events are everyday people attempting to do extraordinary things,” Davidson said. “And those extraordinary things sometimes take extraordinary measures, like scooting to a finish line.”
Other media outlets published my thoughts from social media. This includes Yahoo News see HERE.
Excerpt from Yahoo News
And also CBC News, see HERE.
Excerpt from CBC News
I share this experience because many of you bravely move forward through various challenges as you finish each day. The mountains you climb are Everest-like and I want you to know that I am proud of you for rolling, running, walking, crawling to whatever finish you chase. You are welcome here.
Published on April 26, 2026