Irish sportswear brand O'Neills have removed all Puma products from its online and in-person stores, after the German company was criticised for its link to the Israeli football team.
A protest had previously been planned by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) outside the O'Neills store in Derry, an event that was called after the decision to remove Puma products from its shelves.
Puma have been criticised by a number of Palestinian activists in recent times, with the brand providing kits for both the Israeli national team and quite a few club teams in the country. Six of those club sides are based in what many view to be illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
The company have previously stated that their association with Israeli football is negotiated through a third party local distributor, going on to deny any links to the six clubs based in illegal settlements.
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O'Neills pull Puma products from their stores amid Israel backlash
The IPSC has reported that Puma products have been removed from all nine O'Neills stores in both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
A quick browse of their online store shows that they are also unavailable on that platform.
Derry-based People Before Profit Sean Harkin has praised O'Neills for the decision.
Ordinary people across the world are responding to the barbarism they are witnessing by mobilising in unprecedented numbers to demand an end to it.
Palestinians have called for those opposed to what Israel is doing to step up the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanction against Israel.
We have long called for O'Neill's to stop stocking the Puma brand at all their stores.
In response to a planned IPSC protest, the Derry O'Neill's store has made the decision to remove Puma items. We welcome this decision and commend all the workers for standing with Palestine and against an inhumane onslaught.
Puma have also spoken on the matter.
In a statement from their head of communications Kerstin Neuber, they once again claimed that the company have no direct links to the Israeli national football team.
Puma’s local distribution partner supplies the Israeli national teams with Puma-branded football equipment to compete in international competitions.
We do not have any other official connection or association with any other Israeli football team – neither in mainland Israel nor in settlements.
Puma does not support football teams in settlements nor does its Israeli distributor have branches in settlements...
Puma continues to support and outfit athletes from all backgrounds, regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation and national origins.
The calls for O'Neills to stop selling Puma products were first made back in 2018.
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