(JTA) โ Adidas' new line of German soccer uniforms is being redesigned after customers noticed the style of the number 44 resembled the infamous Nazi SS lightning bolt symbol.
German Football Association (DFB) shared in a statement on Monday The shirt number design has been submitted to European Football Association for review, and it said: “None of the parties involved recognized any similarities to Nazi symbolism during the development process of the shirt design.”
The font on the jerseys has now been changed to make it less reminiscent of the SS, which played a leading role in perpetrating the Holocaust.
“Nonetheless, we take this information very seriously and do not wish to open the door for discussion,” the DFB said, adding: “We will develop an alternative design for the number 4 and coordinate it with UEFA.” Ta.
The number 44 is currently not worn by any player on either the men's or women's teams, but the team's official uniform supplier, German sportswear company Adidas, allows customers to wear numbers 00 to 99 and their name on their jerseys. It can be customized by adding . Up to 10 characters. That means those purchasing the jersey will be able to choose number 44.
Adidas spokesperson Oliver Brรผggen told the German press. built The company said it would “block number 44 as soon as possible.”
He told the German publication that the company “categorically rejects any suggestion that this is our intention,” adding that the company employs people from 100 countries and is not concerned about anti-Semitism or other forms of He pointed out that he is against hatred. โAttempts to foster divisiveness and alienation are not part of our values โโas a brand,โ he said.
Additionally, by Monday afternoon in Germany, Reported by DPA “Certain names related to National Socialism cannot be ordered.” Instead, you'll see the error message “This does not meet our personalization guidelines.” “Try something else.”
By Tuesday, no customization options were available, offering jerseys for players with numbers 4, 14 and 24 (defenseman Jonathan Tarr). Maximilian Beyer, forward. Goalkeeper Oliver Baumann is currently not available for purchase in the online store. His other 20 players' jerseys remain online and available for purchase.
Jerseys can also be purchased on the Adidas website, but cannot be customized. Other teams' jerseys will still be customizable.
adidas has its own Nazi history, founded by brothers Adolf “Adi” and Rudolf Dassler, both of whom officially joined the Nazi Party and signed their letters “Heil Hitler.” The Third Reich's emphasis on sports contributed to the company's explosive growth in shoe sales.
In 2022, the brand was embroiled in an anti-Semitic controversy after a former rapper named Kanye West, with whom the brand had a lucrative partnership, made a series of anti-Semitic comments in public.adidas terminated the partnership Under increasing pressure.
DFB and Adidas The new jersey was announced on March 13th.with advertising campaign It repeatedly uses the phrase “typical German” which “plays on well-known German clichรฉs and stereotypes”. The team unveiled the kit for the first time in a friendly against France on March 23, and will wear it at the 2024 UEFA European Championship, hosted by Germany, in June.
In less than two weeks, DFB has been in business for more than 70 years. Terminating the relationship with Adidas When his contract expired in 2026, he turned to competitor Nike instead. This was a blow to Adidas, which ended its relationship with West, which had a line of sneakers and clothing, and suffered financial losses.