Reebok drops Vick jerseys

Reebok International Ltd., an athletic apparel maker based in Canton, said today that it will immediately stop selling jerseys of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who appeared at a federal court yesterday to face a felony charge stemming from his alleged involvement in a dogfighting ring.

"Although Reebok does not have an individual endorsement or marketing relationship with Michael Vick, we are the official supplier of apparel and equipment to all 32 NFL teams and the league's 1,800 active players," said Reebok in a statement. "While we respect the legal process we find the allegations against Mr. Vick too disturbing to ignore."

The announcement comes a week after Nike's decision to suspend the release of the quarterback's new shoe line. Nike, however, has decided to keep Vick as its pitchman for now, although the company said it will keep a close eye on future developments.
(By Se Young Lee, Globe correspondent)