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    NEW YORK (CWNews.com) - A former soccer coach filed a lawsuit against St. John's University, the largest Catholic university in the US, and the Nike athletic wear company.

    James Keady said he was fired from his position as assistant soccer coach at St. John's when he refused to wear the Nike logo on his uniform, following pressure by Nike on the university. Keady said he was an outspoken critic of the New York school for accepting a multimillion-dollar licensing deal while workers at overseas Nike plants were being subjected to alleged sweatshop conditions.

    "We, as a Catholic university ... are called to measure success by guaranteeing all persons human dignity, not profit margins," Keady wrote in a recent letter to Nike officials, explaining his position. Keady's lawsuit contends St. John's and Nike conspired to damage Keady's reputation, breached his contract as a graduate assistant employed by the university, violated his First Amendment rights to free speech, and forced him out for his religious beliefs.

    University officials said they had no comment until the lawsuit is officially filed on Friday. A Nike spokesman said the lawsuit is without merit and that Keady's contentions were unfounded.

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