Three of world governing body FIFA’s major sponsors have ended their relationships with the organisation, British newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported on Friday.
The paper said that oil manufacturers Castrol, tyre company Continental and healthcare firm Johnson and Johnson have all chosen not to renew contracts with FIFA that have expired.
It follows the news in November that Sony and Emirates had opted to end their relationships with FIFA, which has signed up Russian oil and gas giant Gazprom as a commercial partner ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Quoted by the Telegraph, a spokesperson from Castrol said: “We have not been sponsors of FIFA since, I believe, the World Cup last year.”
Johnson and Johnson stated: “It was a decision that was made for business reasons after a comprehensive review.”
Continental told the newspaper: “It was a great platform for us and now we’re using football on a regionalised level.”
British politician Damian Collins, who is leading a campaign to impose reform on FIFA, said the sponsors’ withdrawal proved that the organisation had become a “toxic brand”.
FIFA and its president Sepp Blatter have been dogged by scandal over accusations of corruption surrounding the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in 2010.