Nestlé decision sparks sports sponsorship row

The manufacturer said it was ending its partnership with the IAAF Kids Athletics programme with immediate effect.

“This decision was taken in light of the negative publicity associated with allegations of corruption and doping in sport made against the IAAF,”​ said Nestlé in a statement.

‘Negatively affect our reputation’​

“We believe these allegations could negatively affect our reputation and image, and will therefore terminate our existing agreement with the IAAF which was established in 2012.” ​

IAAF president Lord Coe reacted angrily to the decision. “We will not accept it,”​ Coe told BBC Sport. “It’s the kids who will suffer.”​

Nestlé acknowledged criticism that terminating the sponsorship will negatively affect children. But it pledged to remain committed to children’s nutrition and health, notably through its Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme.

‘Helping children’​

“Our work focuses on helping children to understand the role that nutrition plays in their lives, focusing on nutrition education and physical education,”​ it said.

Last year the manufacturer claimed to have worked in 84 countries around the world, with 285 local partners. The Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme had been delivered to more than 8M children, it claimed.

Nestlé was in the last year of its sponsorship deal.

Meanwhile, in January sports clothing firm Adidas ended its sponsorship deal with the IAAF for similar reasons. The value of this sponsorship deal has been estimated to be worth up to $8M a year.