LOS ANGELES – World indoor 800 meter champion Boris Berian arrived at the Hoka One One Middle Distance Classic on Friday night not to race but to cheer on his teammates.

Little did he know he'd walk away from the meet with a lawsuit in his hands, having been served by his former apparel sponsor Nike.

"I was right over there" Berian told Sporting News, pointing to the southwest corner of the Occidental College track. "All of a sudden a guy shows up and serves me."

Berian was America's breakout middle distance star of 2015, rising from relative obscurity to being ranked the top U.S. 800 meter runner by Track & Field News. Berian signed a sponsorship agreement with Nike last year shortly after finishing a close second to world record holder David Rudisha at the New York Diamond League meet.

The contract with Nike expired on December 31, 2015, but the company retained rights to match other offers – similar to how NBA restricted free agency allows a player's current team to match the terms of a contract offered by a competing team.

The contention began as other sponsors began pursuing Berian. As a competitor – Boston-based apparel company New Balance – made Berian an offer, Nike returned with an offer that Berian and his representatives didn't think matched New Balance’s.

"No, I followed everything," Berian said when asked if he felt he did anything wrong. "When the time came for a new contract this year, Nike didn't match the New Balance contract."

In the lawsuit, Nike claims Berian breached his contract by not accepting their offer.

"Nike values its relationships with athletes and we expect them to honor their contractual commitments," Nike spokesman Charlie Brooks said in a statement. "Where necessary we’ll take steps to protect our rights."

The impending legal situation only adds to the already stressful nature of an Olympic year for Berian, who, due to his legal situation, remains unsponsored in what could be the peak of his financial earning potential as an athlete.

"It's annoying,” Berian admitted about the situation.

Berian is next scheduled to race in a week at the Prefontaine Classic, a meet sponsored by – you guessed it – Nike.