FIFA: Adidas doesn't abandon Blatter yet

On Saturday, Adidas, the German sports outfitter and one of FIFA's main sponsors, reiterated its appeal for the organisation's reform, though it refrained from joining the ranks of the four major US sponsors who asked for President Joseph Blatter's head. 

"As we have already stated on several occasions in the past, sizeable changes are needed at FIFA, in the interests of football. The reform process now under way must continue in a transparent fashion, and quickly," the sports giant wrote in a statement issued to the AFP.

Adidas is one of FIFA’s largest sponsors. The Bavarian manufacturer also supplies footballs and match officials' kits for international competitions.

Ads

The position assumed by the brand with the three stripes on Saturday is consistent with that of the last few months, in the wake of constant revelations and scandals surrounding FIFA and its president, who is suspected of corruption on a grand scale. As of last week, Joseph Blatter is subject to criminal prosecution in Switzerland.

On Saturday, German Justice Minister, social democrat Heiko Maas, expressed his wish on Twitter to see Joseph Blatter throw in the towel. "Every extra day of the Blatter presidency is a bad day for football," he wrote on his account.

The Swiss President of FIFA since 1998, has tendered his resignation effective from the forthcoming elections on 26th February, and wants to hold on to his post until then. On Friday though, four long-standing US sponsors of the organisation (Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Visa and McDonald's) called for his immediate departure. Joseph Blatter let it be known through his lawyer that he plans to ignore these concerns and stay in charge until February.