This Animal-Rights Group Wants Adidas to Hire New President Opposed to Kangaroo Cleats
A week after Adidas announced North America president Rupert Campbell will leave the company at the end of the month, the Center for a Humane Economy called on the company to replace the outgoing executive with someone opposed to using kangaroo hides on soccer cleats.
“Adidas has long been the biggest apologist and end-user of kangaroo skins for soccer cleats in the world,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Washington, D.C.-area animal welfare group and Animal Wellness Action. “It now stands alone among the biggest athletic shoe brands in financing the slaughter of kangaroos, including the mass orphaning of joeys.”
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New Balance Phasing Out Kangaroo Leather, Following Nike and Puma
Last month, New Balance announced it would phase out kangaroo leather use in its soccer cleats, following the lead of Nike and Puma, which both announced earlier this year that they would discontinue use of the animal skin.
In August, U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) introduced a bipartisan bill calling for the ban of the sale of kangaroo products in America. A federal kangaroo products ban introduced in 2021 didn’t move forward. California banned the sale of kangaroo products in 1971, and the Oregon Legislature introduced a similar bill this year.
The Center for a Humane Economy has pushed for similar legislation in Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey and Vermont. It also announced its intent to sue two California retailers, Soccer Pro and Asby Sports, alleging they’ve continued to sell Adidas soccer cleats made with kangaroo leather, in violation of the state ban.
The Center for a Humane Economy estimates that more than 1 million kangaroos are killed for commercial use each year in Australia.
“There is nothing humane or acceptable about the commercial killing of Australia’s kangaroos,” said Jennifer Skiff, director of the Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign for the Center for a Humane Economy. “The orphaning of 300,000 joeys after their lactating mothers are slain in night-time shoots is scandalous and entirely indefensible.”
Campbell has been with Adidas for more than a decade and reportedly left to pursue other opportunities. Arthur Hoeld, who heads Adidas’ global sales, will take over Campbell’s responsibilities until a replacement is named. Pacelle said he hopes that replacement will lead the company away from the use of kangaroo leather.
“Adidas needs a North American leader attuned to animal welfare,” he said. “There will be lasting damage to the global brand if it does not exit the wildlife-skins trade.”
“Succession” actor James Cromwell has also used his Hollywood spotlight to call on Adidas to ditch kangaroo skins once and for all.
