LEGAL & INSTITUTIONAL
+++ The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Special Olympics, the world’s largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, to expand cooperation and communications between the two entities
+++ The R&A, England Golf and the Golf Foundation have announced The Road to The Open project for 2023, an initiative to inspire children and young people to play golf
+++ The Los Angeles police recovered $7 million worth of Nike sneakers in a raid on a warehouse in Torrance, California, KCAL News reported +++
EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ Pool Sci Italia has appointed Emilio Fontana as its new chairman, taking over the role from Corrado Macciò, who held the top role for three terms +++
RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ Base Detall Sport has opened three Iberian stores – one under the Wanna Style banner in Fuengirola (Málaga, Spain) and two under the Base banner, in Paredes de Coura (Portugal) and Almería (Spain) – according to TradeSport
+++ With its three recent openings – in Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real province), San Sebastián and Platja d’Aro (Girona) – Sprinter has raised its store total in Spain to 210, with plans to reach 220 by year’s end, according to Diffusion Sport
+++ After nearly five years in the country, Decathlon India has launched a B2B website to provide B2B partners with over 6000 items (sports equipment and apparel) for 60 sports
+++ South Korean activewear brand Xexymix is reportedly planning to open multiple pop-up stores in Taiwan, adding to the two it already has in the country
+++ Global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate Apparel Group is opening new Skechers stores in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman +++
CORPORATE AND M&A
+++ Skechers, which had sales of $7.4 billion last year, was named to the Fortune 500 list of the largest companies in the U.S. for the first time, ranking No. 488
+++ Kelly Slater Wave Company has licensed its wave technology to Surf Abu Dhabi, a wave facility owned and operated by Modon Properties, Abu Dhabi
+++ Saucony is planning to open an office in Milan at the end of July, Fashion Network reported
+++ Mike Ashley has reportedly returned as a consultant to his founding company, Frasers Group, in which he still owns 69 percent and which has been run by his son-in-law Michael Murray since last year, to help with the group’s ongoing acquisitions +++
PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Ping has extended its apparel partnership with the European Solheim Cup team as the official apparel supplier for the match at the Finca Cortesin Golf Resort in Spain on Sept. 18-24
+++ Tecnifibre has extended its sponsorship deal with Iga Swiatek, currently ranked No. 1 in singles by the WTA and the winner of the 2023 Roland Garros tournament, until 2026
+++ Salomon announced that its partnership with Swiss skier Camille Rast and 2021 Giant Slalom World Champion Mathieu Faivre (FRA) is ending by mutual agreement +++
+++ Adidas has teamed up with Tulie Yaito, Queens-based accessories designer and co-founder of the Yaito label, to create a limited edition of the redesigned Forum Hi sneaker
+++ Swiss ski racer Tanguy Nef (slalom and giant slalom) is the latest addition to the Atomic ski team
+++ The new downhill world champion Jasmine Flury from Switzerland and Roni Remme, who was born in Canada and competes for Germany in all disciplines, have opted for the Kästle ski team, which already supports Ilka Stuhec from Slovenia
+++ Puma has added WNBA talent Maddy Siegrist of the Dallas Wings to its roster of athletes
+++ Nordica has announced that Andrea Ellenberger, Daniele Sette, Fabian Himmelsbach, Nikolaus Pföderl and Emelie Henning will be wearing the brand’s skis and boots at the upcoming Ski World Cup
+++ Roxy has collaborated with Lisa Andersen, an American four-time world champion surfer in the 1990s and named one of the “100 Greatest Athletes of the Century” by Sports Illustrated for Women, on a swim capsule collection now available on roxy.com and in select stores worldwide
+++ French giant slalom specialist Mathieu Faivre has left Salomon after just one year and returns to the Head Worldcup Rebels, with whom he had previously been for 10 years, winning three world championship titles and an Olympic bronze medal
+++ Meta Hrovat from Slovenia, Armand Marchant from Belgium and Camille Rast from Switzerland are new additions to the Head ski team
+++ California-based eyewear brand Kaenon is launching its first sunglasses collection featuring two-time MLB All-Star Justin Turner, including two versions of the Arcata SR, Turner’s preferred model for on-field use +++
FINANCIAL REPORTING
+++ UBS raised its rating on Adidas to “buy” from “neutral” on June 26 as it expects renewed momentum in the brand’s lifestyle products, particularly the Gazelle and Samba models, to support broader sales growth +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ The Spanish government’s Royal Order of Sports Merit has awarded its gold medal to Joma’s founder, Fructuoso López, in recognition of his 60-year career, according to CMDsport and TradeSport
+++ Footjoy has teamed up with Claima to create a docu-series titled “Step Forward” about accessibility and inclusivity in golf, directed by filmmaker Adewale Agboola
+++ Swiss watchmaker Breitling has announced its partnership with the Surfrider Foundation to help the foundation research and combat the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans +++
