Nestle has terminated its sponsorship of the IAAF over fears that the corruption and doping scandals surrounding the sport could damage the company’s reputation.
The IAAF, athletics world governing body, is facing crises on multiple fronts, including widespread allegations of corruption and bribery under disgraced former boss Lamine Diack.
Nestle was a financial backer of the IAAF Kids Athletics programme, being its main sponsor since 2012, and they said in a statement: “We have decided to end our partnership with the IAAF Kids’ Athletics programme with immediate effect. This decision was taken in light of negative publicity associated with allegations of corruption and doping in sport made against the IAAF.
Breaking: Lord Coe “angered and dismayed" by Nestle ending partnership with IAAF. "We will not accept it. It’s the kids who will suffer"
— Richard Conway (@richard_conway) February 10, 2016
“We believe this could negatively impact our reputation and image and will therefore terminate our existing agreement with the IAAF, established in 2012.”
Nestle’s five-year sponsorship deal of the IAAF programme began in January 2012, when the Monaco-based athletics body said the new funding would go towards arranging courses for lecturers and coaches, with a view to widening its grassroots training reach to more children, encouraging healthier lifestyles.
However athletics has drawn attention for unsavoury reasons in recent months, and last month it emerged that German sportswear giant adidas was looking to end its deal as a leading sponsor of the IAAF four years early.
Athletics is reeling from two damning reports by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) independent commission which revealed “state-sponsored’’ doping in Russia and raised questions about doping in other countries.
Life bans for blackmailing athletes and covering up positive drugs tests were last month handed to Papa Massata Diack, who is the son of former IAAF president Lamine Diack and was a marketing consultant for the organisation, together with former Russian athletics federation (ARAF) president and IAAF treasurer Valentin Balakhnichev, and Alexei Melnikov, a senior ARAF coach.
The IAAF responded to Nestle’s announcement by saying it was in touch with the food giant. It is understood the IAAF has been asked by Nestle to remove all of the sponsor’s logos from its website.
