Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer said that the corruption scandal engulfing FIFA "is not tarnishing the image of its long-standing sponsor," according to Emma Thomasson of REUTERS.
Adidas said that its sales of football products rose 19% in the third quarter, helped by the launch of new "ACE" and "X" football boots and kits for new partners ManU and Serie A champion Juventus.
Hainer: "The image for our products have never been better so I am definitely convinced that the consumers clearly differentiates between us as a company and the brand and what's going on in FIFA."
The company "faced criticism last month after declining to join other major sponsors and demand the immediate departure of FIFA President Sepp Blatter after Swiss authorities opened a criminal investigation into him."
Hainer said that adidas "had called for FIFA reform even before last year's World Cup in Brazil and said he had confidence in the ethics committee to make FIFA more transparent," adding that adidas was in "constant dialogue" with FIFA and the committee (REUTERS, 11/5). The SID reported "despite the corruption scandal surrounding the German FA (DFB), adidas intends to renew its deal with the federation." Hainer: "We still have the goal to extend the contract with the DFB during the first half of 2016. But we understand that the DFB has currently other things to do than negotiating with us." The current agreement between adidas and the DFB runs through '18. Hainer: "We have another three years with the DFB, there's no pressure." Adidas pays an estimated €25M ($27.2M) annually for the partnership (SID, 11/5).
