An investigation on sports products revealed that sporting goods manufactured by top sports brands contained harmful and carcinogenic toxins

The study, conducted by Greenpeace, included top sports brands Adidas, Nike and Puma.

The research methodology consisted of acquiring different sports apparel and supplies like balls and gloves from 16 different countries. For three months, content analysis tests were performed on these products.

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The results showed that 81 percent of soccer shoes and 35 percent of soccer shirts contained traces of harmful chemicals such as perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA).

The Predator, Adidas' soccer boot, was said to have traces of the harmful acid 15 times more than the acceptable world standard.

PFOAs are synthetic chemicals used for industrial manufacturing of Teflon and waterproofing supplies. In a controlled experiment, scientists found that PFOA caused cancer in animals. Studies also found that exposure to the harmful acid resulted in heightened levels of cholesterol and uric acid. In extreme cases, this could lead to an increased risk of kidney disease.

Li Yifang of Greenpeace pointed out that PFOAs were banned in some countries.

Greenpeace urged the companies to make public their ingredients component list and to outline the steps that they will implement to eliminate all harmful chemicals from their product lines.

Adidas and Nike have yet to issue a statement in response to the study.

Experts say that PFOA can also be found in non-sports clothes and baby items. To minimize exposure to these substances, experts advise to always wash clothes in clean water regularly.

Other substances also found in sporting goods are nonylphenolethoxylates, phthalates and dimethylformamide, according to the research.

TagsNike, Puma, Sports, Soccer, Sports news, Sports goods, Toxic, PFOA, Cancer