Gillette Owner Says Company Broke CBF Contract Fearing for its Reputation

12/09/2015 - 09h25

P&G, which sponsored the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) with its brand Gillette, has said in a statement that it terminated the contract fearing damage to its reputation. The CBF says it will take the case to the courts.

Folha revealed on Sunday (6) the termination of the contract, the first time this has happened since accusations of corruption involving the CBF emerged. However, CBF would not, on Sunday, reveal the reason for P&G's move.

P&G withdrew from the contract in June this year, soon after the arrest in Switzerland of the former CBF president José Maria Marin, on the orders of the American Department of Justice.

In a statement released on Tuesday (8), P&G said that "the decision is based in a contractual clause which allows for rescission in the event of something which may carry risk of damage to the company's image," without having to pay any kind of fine.

The company also said that "it is committed to sound ethics and seeks partners who correspond with our values."

The CBF rejects P&G's justification and says it will take legal action, seeking payment of the fine for terminating the contract - likely to be in the millions, though the value was not specified.

In its own statement, the CBF said that "on March 12 2015, the multinational explicitly expressed its interest in terminating its partnership with the Brazilian national side, which contradicts the argument provided by the company to Folha regarding the reasons for termination of sponsorship."

Folha attempted to contact all the companies that have contracts with the CBF or that supported the organization in some way last season. Six refused to comment, while the others made generic statements repudiating any illicit actions and expressing their commitment to ethics and transparency.

Their position is different to that adopted by FIFA's main sponsors. Coca-Cola, Visa, McDonald's and Budweiser have all requested the removal of Sepp Blatter as president and demanded greater transparency. Blatter is currently suspended from FIFA, accused of involvement in corruption.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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Vanderlei Almeida - 28.mai.2015/AFP

The facade of the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) at Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro