Hundreds of Nike employees protested on Monday as the company reopened a building named after controversial athletics coach Alberto Salazar.

Salazar, who was the running coach for the Nike Oregon Project, has been accused of humiliating and belittling Mary Cain and other female athletes. Salazar last month admitted he had made “callous” remarks to athletes. He is also appealing a four-year ban for breaking anti-doping rules

“On occasion, I may have made comments that were callous or insensitive over the course of years of helping my athletes through hard training,” he told the Oregonian. “If any athlete was hurt by any comments that I have made, such an effect was entirely unintended, and I am sorry.”

Alberto Salazar says sorry for ‘callous or insensitive’ pressure on female athletes Read more

Despite the controversy around the coach, Nike has not renamed the Alberto Salazar Building during its renovation, and his image still features prominently at the facility. According to the Willamette Week, around 400 Nike employees marched through the Nike campus on Monday with signs reading “Just Do Better”, “Nike is a woman” and “We believe Mary”.

One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Willamette Week they felt under pressure from Nike to follow the company’s line. “The culture is about rank and file, and about fitting in. We’re the teammates supporting our team, as soon as you break rank you’re out.”

Sophie Greenleaf Peel (@sophiegreenleaf) This was the flyer handed out to protestors prior to the campus walk pic.twitter.com/mLcx7cfyYB

Some employees said Nike executives tried to “water down” the protest, although a company spokesman, Greg Rossiter, denied the accusation. “We respect and welcome employees’ feedback on matters that are important to them,” he said.

Cain said Salazar had pressured her to keep her weight down during his time as her coach. She says she stopped menstruating for three years, broke five bones because of osteoporosis, and began to feel suicidal as a result of his treatment. When Cain went public with her accusations, three other athletes – Amy Yoder Begley, Kara Goucher and Jackie Areson – also criticised Salazar’s methods.