Tag: Adidas

Classy Adidas shows crooked Nike a lesson.

MOSCOW — Nike responded defiantly on Sunday following criticism over its refusal to provide cleats for the Iran World Cup team – due to United States sanctions against the country.

Shortly before the tournament, the Iranian team said Nike had pulled out of a commitment to supply its cleats. Following its dramatic opening game victory over Morocco, several players and head coach Carlos Queiroz criticized the American sportswear giant over its stance.

Iran’s World Cup jerseys are provided by German-owned Adidas. That company’s CEO, Kasper Rorsted, said Iran is one of 12 teams it sponsors.

“We equip the Iranian team because a lot of Iranians love football, and at the end of the day we believe in sport,” Rorsted told Russia’s RT.com. “We believe that through sport we have the power to change lives.

“If we start being a political engine then we don’t actually have the freedom to do what we want to do and that’s really making people’s lives better.”

However, in an e-mail to USA TODAY Sports, Nike claimed that it had been “complying with this legal requirement for many years,” and emphasized that due to government restrictions, being unable to send footwear to the squad was “not a choice.”

 “US sanctions mean that, as a US company, NIKE cannot supply shoes to players in the Iranian National team at this time,” a statement from Nike’s media relations team read. “Sanctions applicable to NIKE have been in place for many years and are enforceable by law.”

The saga has reflected poorly on Nike, leading to heavy criticism internationally, yet the company feels that the full story has not come out. Nike’s e-mail added that there had been no sudden change in its policy towards providing product to Iran and that “suggestions otherwise are misleading.”

Iran’s squad has been incensed by the situation and the story line has been the biggest talking point surrounding the team’s campaign.

“What Nike did to us was very wrong,” forward Karim Ansarifard told ESPN. “I can tell you, as a footballer, we don’t compare diplomatic and political problems to sports.”

Queiroz has long highlighted the struggles faced by the Iran team, which has a competitive and travel budget far lower than many teams in the tournament.

“Let them enjoy football like all the other football players in the world,” Queiroz said. “They are not against nobody or against nothing. They just want to express themselves and play football. It is totally unfair to 23 boys who just want to play football. They deserve to be treated like all the other players in the world.”

Political sanctions against Iran have long been in place, but there have been reports of them being implemented more rigorously in recent years. However, Nike was clear that its approach towards Iran had nothing to do with the Trump administration, as the relevant sanctions were implemented before the last election.

Nike pointed out that any player can buy Nike products, and that the company is also permitted to sponsor Iranian athletes who don’t live in their homeland. Nine members of the squad play in Iran, while the rest play for clubs abroad.

Givova , the new Kit Supplier of Team Melli.

The Football Federation reveled the newest Team Melli kit by Givova in a low key ceremony in Tehran.

The FFIRI has already announced that the contract with the German sportswear manufacturer UHLSport will be extended by suddenly the hardly known brand of Givova has cropped up in the scene and signed with the Federation as the kit supplier. The Italian firm has only one other client amongst the 210 FIFA members and that is Malta national Team.

All other famous and not so famous Asian teams have world-renowned brands such as Adidas, Puma ,  Nike but Kaffashian administration managed to find the most obscure brand of sport wear to supply the national team !

The other interesting fact is that the politically sensitive Iranians have elected Givova brand despite it being the supplier and sponsor of Israel National handball team.

Givova is a sportswear and footwear trademark founded in 2008 in Scafati (Italy) by Giovanni Acanfora.

FFIRI negotiating with ADIDAS

The head of marketing of the Iranian football federation FFIRI has confirmed that his federation is negotiating a new contract for the supply of kits to all the teams of different levels and age groups in FFIRI.

Mohammad Derakhshan who is the head of Marketing committee of FFIRI confirmed that his federation is in negotiation with the German giants Adidas, to supply Iranian national teams for the upcoming season until World Cup 2018.

Derakhshan said there have been a few questions that are still pending responses from the German sports good manufacturers. He also confirmed that an Italian supplier has approached FFIRI for the same purpose. No final decision has been reached yet by the FFIRI.

Currently , FFIRI is under contract with another German supplier UHLSports.

The relationship between UHLSports and FFIRI was marred by accusations of poor quality control claims. Carlos Queiroz and some of his players have claimed that the German company has supplied the team with inferior quality kits while UHLSports have vehemently denied such claims and threatened to take legal action against those false accusations.