Oberlin College has joined Cornell in severing ties with sportswear giant Adidas over allegations of labor abuses, The Nation reported. The two universities are the first in the country to scrap contracts with Adidas over the allegations.
Oberlin’s move comes at the heels of the college announcing it had signed an exclusive four-year sponsorship and product-allowance agreement with Adidas for its 22 athletics teams.
Natalie Winklefoos, interim director of athletics and physical education at Oberlin, lauded the venture when it was announced in August, saying that, “after reviewing many options, it became clear that creating a 22-team all-sport sponsorship with Adidas was the best choice for us.”
But in light of the college’s decision, it looks like Oberlin’s athletes won’t be donning custom Adidas sportswear anytime soon.
Original Author: Akane Otani