Adidas will not ask athletes to stop endorsing soft drinks

Chennai, Aug 17 (UNI) Sports goods major adidas will not ask athletes endorsing its products to drop endorsing soft drinks like Pepsi and Coke following a controversy over the presence of high pesticide content in them.

Talking to reporters after opening its first Sport Performance Centre (SPC) here, adidas India Marketing Private Limited Managing Diretor Andreas Gellner said ''the issue is not connected to us'.

''It is an ongoing controversy. Our, athletes are mature enough to decide what they want to do.'' When asked whether those athletes endorsing both Adidas and Coke and Pepsi products would be asked to drop endorsing the conroversial soft drinks, Mr Gellner replied with a firm 'No'.

''It's their decision and it is not at all connected to us.'' He said the SPC was the second of its kind by Adidas after its first centre at Bangalore opened three months back. The company would be setting up similar SPCs in metros and was planning to increase its exclusive Adidas outlets from 150 to 220 by this year.

Former Indian cricketers Laxmipathy Balaji and wicket-keeper Dinesh Kaarthick were present on the occasion as special guests.

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