Did Nike sue 11-year-old Filipino girl over DIY shoes? What really happened

A heartwarming tale of Rhea Bullos, an 11-year-old Filipino girl, racing barefoot in a school competition with makeshift “Nike” shoes created quite a buzz on social media a few years back. The inspiring story garnered global attention as Rhea’s determination and resourcefulness captured the hearts of many.

However, trending social media posts have recently claimed that Nike, upon learning of the incident, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the young girl. These posts, often shared with an image of Rhea’s DIY shoes, suggested that the Nike CEO flew to the Philippines to sue her for $200k.

Our fact-check investigation has found these claims to be false. In reality, Rhea’s story went viral after her coach, Patrick B. Valenzuela, shared her accomplishments in a Facebook post on December 9, 2019. Rhea competed without shoes due to financial constraints but won gold medals in various races during the inter-school sports competition in Iloilo, Philippines.

The inspiring story drew support from various individuals and companies, including Nike Philippines, which gifted Rhea four pairs of shoes and other gear. Moreover, community support and donations further aided Rhea’s team.

We reached out to Joshua Enriquez, one of the individuals who helped Rhea, and he confirmed that the claim of Nike suing the young girl is entirely untrue. He also debunked the rumors on his Facebook page.

While some individuals might have shared the claim ironically, it inadvertently spread as many readers believed it to be true. The original source and date of the false claim’s circulation remain unclear.

In essence, Rhea Bullos’s story exemplifies resilience and community support, while the claim of a lawsuit by Nike against the young girl is merely a product of misinformation.

 

Originally published by https://insidegistblog.com/nike-pro-girl-on-train-video-twitter/