Join Second Global Day of Action, October 26
October 25, 2019, the Canadian BDS Coalition attempted to deliver this letter to Mark Mcquire the Head of Puma Canada, but the office had moved. We have emailed the letter, and have found current address, so will arrange for hard copy to be delivered early next week. See letter HERE. Contact Mark Mcquire the Head of Puma Canada at mark.maguire@puma.com
Groups around the world are gearing up for the second day of action protesting Puma’s support for Israel’s illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land. Join them on October 26! Led by
Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
Across the world, fans of fair play and sports for everyone are joining the call from Palestinian teams and athletes to boycott sportswear manufacturer Puma until it ends support for Israel’s illegal military occupation and denial of Palestinian human rights.
Puma is the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which proudly includes and advocates on behalf of teams in Israeli settlements pushing Palestinian families off their land. Israeli settlements are illegal and constitute a war crime under international law.
Last June, the Canada BDS Coalition joined groups in more than 20 countries joined the first Global #BoycottPuma Day of Action, with protests at Puma shops and offices and at Puma-sponsored teams. On social media, #BoycottPuma was THE most tweeted Puma-related hashtag that day.
We’re back for round two.
Do you own Puma Sportware? If so JOIN in the rebrand campaign. #RebrandPuma Check out details here
The Canadian BDS Coalition has been in touch with Puma Canada HQ during Round 1
Round 1:
Registered Mail
June 7, 2019 (along with emails)
PUMA Canada
Mark Mcquire
355 Admiral Blvd, Unit 4
Mississauga, ON L5T 2N1
copies to: Communication Executives, Kerstin Neuber and Rober Bartunek,Berek Communications, and Customer Service.
Dear Mr. Maquire, PUMA Canada
We write to your as Canadians concerned that Puma sponsors the Israel Football Association (IFA), which includes teams in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land in violation of international law.
Puma’s endorsement of the IFA gives legitimacy to Israel’s illegal settlements pushing Palestinian families off their land.
As long as Puma sponsors teams in illegal Israeli settlements, we will respect the call from Palestinian athletes to boycott Puma. We ask you to do the same.
We ask Puma Canada to recognize that the majority of Canadians are calling for boycotts, divestment and sanctions related to the illegal acts of Israel.
- Canadians believe overwhelmingly that sanctions are a reasonable way for Canada to censure countries violating international law and human rights,
- Given the UN Security Council’s recent condemnation of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory, a strong majority of Canadians believe that government sanctions on Israel would be reasonable
- In the context of Israel’s ongoing violations of international law, a very strong majority of Canadians believe that the Palestinians’ call for a boycott of Israel is reasonable, and
- Far more Canadians oppose than support Parliament’s February, 2016 decision to condemn individuals and groups who promote the Palestinian call for a boycott of Israel.
Surely removing PUMA’s support for IFA is not only the ethical, moral and legal step to take, but also good for business.
We expect that people across Canada, along with those around the world will be making this very clear to Puma as we move towards International #BoycottPuma Day of Action, June 15, 2019.
We would be pleased to meet with you and members of your team here in Canada to discuss.
On behalf of the
Canadian BDS Coalition
(over 30 member groups across Canada)
Response from Puma Canada and Puma International
on June 11, 2019
Dear Sir or Madame,
Thank you for reaching out to PUMA.
PUMA supplies the Israeli National Teams via a local distribution partner to compete in international competitions, and the football club Hapoel Beer Sheva through the end of the 2018/19 season. To claim we have any other official connection or association be it to the Israel Premier League, the Japanika League, or any other Israeli club team is incorrect.
Broadly speaking, PUMA continues to support and outfit athletes from all backgrounds, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation and national origin. As a brand concerned only with the power that Sport has to bring people together, PUMA does not support any political direction, political parties or governments. Our devotion to universal equality is aligned with the fundamental principles of our #REFORM platform.
We welcome the opportunity to help everyone compete in sports no matter who they are or where they are from.
Request for clarification from the Canadian BDS Coaliiton
On Tue, 11 Jun 2019 at 10:21, Canadian BDS Coaltion <bdscoalition@gmail.com> wrote:
Thank you Kristina and Mark for your timely response.
Would you please clarify your response. Are you saying that there is no support of any kind that goes to the Israel Football Association (IFA)? You mention that support does go to Israeli National Teams. Which teams are these? You also mention support to football club Hapoel Beer Sheva. As well, you mention NO support goes to the Israeli Premier/Japanika League. .
Would you please clarify and make a definitive statement that NO support has gone to the Israel Football Association.
The Israel Football Association has teams in Israeli settlement in occupied Palestine, which is part of the territory of the Palestinian affiliate. This is occupied territory under international humanitarian law (the Fourth Geneva Convention). The international call to PUMA is to withdraw support to the Israeli Football Association until it withdraws teams from these illegally occupied land. If there has been no support to the Israel Football Association in any form from PUMA including through local distribution partners we would welcome that news. It is not clear in your message that this is the case, so we would appreciate further information in this regard. If PUMA is announcing its withdraw of funding from the Israel Football Association through your correspondence would you please make this clear, and also indicate if you will be making a public notification in this regard.
See: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/01/10/fifa-must-take-strong-stance-against-israeli-settlement-clubs
Round Two:
We have not heard from you!
October 15, 2019 by email
Dear Mr. Maguire
We did not hear back from you with clarification to our June 11th email.
Now that we are approaching the next round of give Puma the Boot later in October, we would welcome your clarification.
Best,
Canadian BDS Coalition
What can you do
- Check out the BNC information and action page.
- The Canadian BDS Coalition has registered, but individual groups are also encouraged to register their own actions
- Share Facebook post from @BDSCoalition.
- Share tweets from @Canadian_BDS
- Write Mark Mcquire the Head of Puma Canada at mark.maguire@puma.com
Let Puma Feel the Pressure
Puma is feeling the pressure. To sideline criticism, Puma is resorting to ridiculous claims, including a “devotion to universal equality.”
A “devotion to universal equality” must mean not sporting with apartheid! It requires Puma to end its:
- complicity in whitewashing Israel’s illegal land grabs that rob Palestinians of territory and natural resources.
- support for Israel’s occupation infrastructure that denies Palestinian athletes their rights to freedom of movement and to practice sports.
- sponsorship of the Israel Football Association.
This year’s Palestine Football Cup has been postponed indefinitely because Israel has denied permits for virtually all players from the winning team of the Gaza League to travel to the occupied West Bank for the finals. Just last week, Israeli forces raided a family football tournament in occupied East Jerusalem, preventing it from going ahead.
Puma’s iconic leaping cat is profiting from Israel’s ever-expanding illegal settlement enterprise and its denial of basic Palestinian human rights.
Join us as we step up pressure on Puma to live up to its claim of promoting social justice.