The CEO of World Cup sponsor Adidas says it will re-evaluate its FIFA deal if the scandal-hit governing body fails to change.
Herbert Hainer tells German daily Handelsblatt “if FIFA manages to reform itself — and from my point of view they are on the right track — we will continue.”
If FIFA falls short, Adidas “will consider what the alternatives are,” Hainer says.
Adidas is FIFA’s longest-standing sponsor. It signed up to provide the ball for the 1970 World Cup and renewed through 2030. The German firm helped bring Sepp Blatter to FIFA in 1975.
Adidas’ support for Germany’s football federation is unaffected by bribery allegations. Hainer says: “The scandal cannot be compared with the scale of the one at FIFA.”