Former adidas executive Lindsay Gregg is taking her former employer to court in Portland, claiming the company pushed her out after she called out gender discrimination and unequal support for women athletes. In a lawsuit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Gregg alleges she was fired in February shortly after flagging what she describes as inequitable resource allocations and conduct that put women in unsafe situations. Instead of fixing the problems, she says, the company removed her from her role.
Gregg, who previously led women’s basketball sports marketing at the company, is asking for lost wages and either her job back or compensation for projected future earnings and benefits. She is also seeking attorney fees, expert-witness costs and other litigation expenses.
What the suit says
According to The New York Times, Gregg says she was hired in January 2022 and quickly built a stacked roster in women’s basketball. The complaint states she managed roughly twice as many athletes as some male counterparts, signing college standouts Olivia Miles and Aliyah Boston while also keeping veterans such as Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper under contract.
The filing alleges that tensions came to a head after a Feb. 15 trailer incident involving Sophie Cunningham and Erica Wheeler. Gregg says she reported that incident to senior human-resources director Benjamin Lee, then submitted a formal internal HR complaint on Feb. 22. Not long after, the suit claims, company official Cameron Mason terminated her employment and described the move as a business decision.
Gregg's account and legal aims
The complaint characterizes Gregg’s dismissal as retaliation for speaking up. "When she spoke up about disparities and conduct that put women in unsafe situations, adidas chose to fire her instead of addressing those problems," the filing states, as quoted by The New York Times.
On top of her pay-related claims, Gregg is pursuing damages for emotional distress. The lawsuit asks the court to award her lost wages, either reinstate her or compensate her for future earnings and benefits she says she will miss out on, and cover her costs, expert-witness fees and attorney fees.
Oregon law and next steps
Oregon’s whistleblower and anti-retaliation laws make it illegal for employers to fire or otherwise punish workers who report suspected legal violations. Those protections, along with available remedies, are laid out in state statute in the Oregon Revised Statutes.
Gregg’s complaint will move forward in Multnomah County Circuit Court, where adidas will have a chance to formally respond to the allegations. The court is expected to set a schedule for motions and other filings as the case progresses. For Portland readers, that likely means a standard civil-court timeline, unless the parties choose to settle early or the judge narrows the claims at an initial stage.
