IBM Ends Its Sponsorship of Cruel Elephant Polo Tournament

After hearing from PETA and more than 193,000 of our members and supporters, IBM confirmed that it will no longer sponsor the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Thailand. PETA Asia had obtained shocking video footage showing trainers on the grounds of the 2018 event violently beating elephants with bullhooks—which are sharp steel-tipped weapons resembling a fireplace poker. This abuse is standard whenever elephants are used for entertainment. IBM joins more than a dozen other companies around the world—including the Campari Group, Johnnie Walker, and Vespa—that have stopped sponsoring this abusive tournament.