The largest sponsor of the International Association of Athletics Federations has made moves to pull out of their deal with the sport's governing body four years early. 

The move is believed to be the direct result of the doping scandal that has plagued the IAAF in recent weeks and months according to the BBC, with the sports apparel manufacturer claiming that it qualifies as a breach of contract. 

Earlier in January, Dick Pound produced a detailed report which found that the IAAF council, which includes the current president Sebastian Coe, "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics".

The BBC also report that, should Adidas be successful in their attempts to get out of the deal early, then it could be worth tens of millions of dollars to the IAAF, given that the German sports company is their largest sponsor. 

In a short statement on Monday, the IAAF said that they were "in close contact with all its sponsors and partners as we embark on our reform process", but made no specific mention of Adidas.