Adidas explains why soccer ball Putin gave Trump contains chip

The Adidas soccer ball Russian President Vladimir Putin gave to US President Donald Trump at their summit in Finland appears to contain a chip that can transmit information to nearby cellphones.

The publication noted that photos of the ball show a logo for a near-field communication (NFC) tag, a chip that is included in the Adidas 2018 FIFA World Cup ball. 

Adidas AG soccer balls, similar to the one Putin presented to Trump during a joint press conference last week, contain a small chip that can send content to mobile devices. Users can hold their phones close to the ball to access videos and competitions, Bloomberg reported.

The brand’s website states that the chip can’t be modified.

The soccer ball underwent a security screening as part of the routine procedure for all gifts given to the president, the U.S. Secret Service said last week.

Sen. Lindsey Graham had said on Twitter that the ball should be inspected for "listening devices" and that he would "never allow it in the White House."

It’s unknown if the chip - if it was in the ball at all - was removed before or after it was given to Trump, the Hill reported.