NOS Football•today, 4:42 PM
Adidas and the German Football Association DFB have immediately stopped sales of the new national kit with jersey number 44. In the new font, number 44 was reminiscent of the runes of the logo of the Schutzstaffel (SS), the feared paramilitary organization of the Nazi regime in Germany.
Buying the shirt with 44 is no longer possible since Monday afternoon, and previously ordered shirts are no longer delivered. Shirts with names associated with Nazi Germany could not be ordered anyway.
The new shirts were used for the first time during last week’s international matches against France and the Netherlands. The new design sparked a riot on social media.
No link noted
The DFB has announced that a new design for the number 4 is now being developed. Because the shirt with number 4 also raised eyebrows. That was reminiscent of the Hitler Youth logo.
The German association says that during the development of the design, no one noticed the possible link with Nazi symbolism.
Through the dust
“Adidas employs people from around a hundred countries, our company stands for promoting diversity and inclusion, and as a company we actively oppose xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence and hatred in any form,” said spokesperson Oliver Brüggen.
“Attempts to promote divisive or marginalizing views are not part of our values as a brand.” The company “strongly rejects any suggestion that this was our intention”.
Tags: Adidas immediately stops selling German shirt apologizes
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