McDonald’s, Visa, Adidas and Coca-Cola welcome FIFA president, Sepp Blatter’s resignation
Just hours after president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, announced his resignation, major sponsors of the football association, including McDonald’s and Visa have spoken out.
Blatter, who was re-elected into his post last week, faced public criticism against a major FIFA corruption scandal.
Generally, the comments seem fairly positive. None of the brands expressed any sadness in Blatter’s departure, thanked him, or wished him luck.
See what the brands had to say below.
Coca-Cola
"We respect Mr. Blatter’s decision. The announcement today is a positive step for the good of sport, football and its fans. Our expectation remains that FIFA will continue to act with urgency to take concrete actions to fully address all of the issues that have been raised and win back the trust of all who love the sport of football. We believe this decision will help FIFA transform itself rapidly into a much-needed 21st century structure and institution."
McDonald's
"Football has the unique ability to bring the world together while positively impacting communities and economies. The allegations of corruption and questionable ethics within FIFA have overshadowed the game and taken away from the sport, players and fans. We’re hopeful that the changes being implemented within FIFA will be a big first step in positively reforming the organization and gaining back trust from fans worldwide."
Visa
"We are encouraged by the recognition by FIFA that extensive and fundamental reform is needed as reflected by the announcement that President Blatter is resigning and that FIFA will be undergoing a 'profound overhaul.' This is a significant first step towards rebuilding public trust, but more work lies ahead.
Transparency, integrity and fair play must be the hallmarks of the new administration and Visa stands ready to work with FIFA towards these principles. We repeat, however, that it is our expectation that FIFA will take swift and immediate steps towards addressing the issues within its organization to quickly rebuild a culture with strong ethical practices that will restore the reputation of the games for fans around the world.
We look forward to understanding the nature and scope of the intended reforms in the very near future."
Adidas
"We welcome FIFA’s commitment to change. As stated before, the adidas Group is fully committed to creating a culture that promotes the highest standards of ethics and compliance. Today’s news marks a step in the right direction on FIFA’s path to establish and follow transparent compliance standards in everything they do."