Adidas refuse to call for FIFA President Sepp Blatter's early resignation

Adidas have refused to join calls from other of FIFA's top sponsors for Sepp Blatter to resign ©Adidas

German sportswear company Adidas have refused to join calls from a number of FIFA’s key sponsors for Sepp Blatter to step down early from his role as President of world football’s governing body.

Budweiser, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Visa each issued statements on Friday (October 2) saying the 79-year-old Swiss should quit his position with immediate effect after criminal proceedings were opened against him last week.

Their move represented the first time any of FIFA’s major sponsors had spoken out against Blatter despite the ongoing investigations into widespread corruption within the organisation.

South Korean car manufacturers Kia and Russian gas giants Gazprom have also kept silent on the matter.

Both companies did not attend a meeting held by Jerome Valcke, who was recently suspended from his position as FIFA’s secretary general over alleged involvement in a scheme involving selling World Cup tickets for above their face value, following a series of arrests of high-level FIFA officials in Zurich in May.

Blatter announced he would quit as FIFA President in February next year, when an Extraordinary Elective Congress will be held, just five days after controversially securing a fifth term in office in June.

The 79-year-old is accused by Swiss prosecutors of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a television rights deal he signed with former Caribbean Football Union chief Jack Warner in 2005.

He is also suspected of making "a disloyal payment" in 2011 of CHF 2 million (£1.3 million/$2.1 million/€1.8 million) to current UEFA President and FIFA presidential candidate Michel Platini for work allegedly carried out by the Frenchman between 1999 and 2002.

FIFA's oldest sponsor, Adidas' founder's son Horst Dassler was seen as a key figure who helped lever Blatter into power.

In 1982 Dassler co-founded International Sport and Leisure, the sports marketing company which became FIFA's main broadcasting partner before a bankruptcy scandal in 2001.

“As pointed out several times already, FIFA must implement fundamental changes for the sake of football,” an Adidas spokesperson said.

“Therefore, the initiated reform process must continue quickly and transparently.”

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has refused to step down early despite calls from four of FIFA's main sponsors ©Getty Images

Opposition group New FIFA Now, led by Australian Jaimie Fuller, had campaigned for FIFA’s sponsors to speak out against Blatter, who insists he is innocent of all allegations levelled at him.

They had claimed that by remaining silent on the issue, they were complicit in the wrongdoings within the organisation which have plagued world football for over two decades.

Platini, who had been the favourite to succeed Blatter until he was hauled into the corruption scandal for the first time, also maintains he has done nothing wrong.

French Sports Minister Patrick Kanner yesterday reaffirmed his backing for Platini, insisting they had “not changed their minds on the support we have given him”.

“If there was any problem, I do not doubt for a minute that he would have refused to run for FIFA President,” he told French newspaper L’Equipe.

“His message to us was ’continue to trust me’.

“That’s what he wanted to tell us.”