Adidas is a sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the build up to which has been overshadowed by a series of protest activities from numerous pressure groups around the world.
Pressure group Reporters Sans Frontiere (also know as Reporters without Borders) has bought shares in each of the sponsors of the Beijing Olympics to give it a public platform during annual general meetings.
The group has now warned Adidas of the negative impact of the brand's association with this summer's event. It said, 'Adidas is a sports brand that is recognised throughout the world and its logo with three parallel stripes will be everywhere during the Olympic Games. To avoid having its logo linked to human rights violations in China, the company's executives must lose no time in publicly voicing their disapproval for the repressive methods used by the Chinese government.'
In his speech to shareholders, however, Hainer said: 'We have been receiving many letters from people who judge Adidas harshly because we will be present at the Olympic Games in Beijing. These people clearly believe that as sponsors we are in a position to influence the situation in Tibet. They go even further, presenting our commitment to the Olympic Games as a breach of ethical standards. But a morality based on rhetoric, which only ever attacks the behaviour of others definitely does not get us any further. We will not be held morally responsible for a situation which we did not create and for which we are not answerable.
'Our capabilities do not extend to solving diplomatic or political crises. Adidas is not a political company, nor am I a politician. And we do not manufacture products for governments or social systems. What we can do is to manufacture excellent products for each competitive athlete, as well as market these products for recreational use.'
The group was also present at the Coca-Cola shareholders meeting earlier this year, which saw protest activity from Free Tibet groups led by pressure movement, Students for a Free Tibet.
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