The sporting goods brand Adidas has decided to withdraw from sale the number 44 of the German team’s shirts for the Euro Cup and the national football federation (DFB) announced that it will change the design of the number 4 after criticism about the similarity of those numbers with Nazi symbols.
The 44, which fans could choose for their shirt, resembles the forbidden rune of the SS. Furthermore, the number 4 is reminiscent of the simple rune of victory, which during the Nazi regime (1933-1945) was the emblem of the Hitler Youth, the BILD newspaper, the most widely read in Germany, noted this Monday.
The similarity was detected on social networks and strongly criticized.
The DFB explained to the newspaper that it is “in talks with ’11Teamsports’ to develop an alternative design for the number four typography and then officially adapt it in coordination with UEFA.”
The number 14 will also be changed, he indicated. No player will wear 44, as the shirts will be numbered 1 to 23 in the Euro Cup.
In the last friendly matches of the German team in France (0-2) and against the Netherlands at home (2-1), Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah wore number 4 and debutant Maximilian Beier, number 14.
Bild wondered how it was possible that the DFB had not noticed earlier the resemblance to the SS symbol, to which the German Football Federation replied that it verified the numbers 0 to 9 and then sent the numbers 1 to 26 to UEFA for review. Both tests were approved, he stressed.
“None of the parties involved saw any proximity to the symbolism of National Socialism in the process of developing the t-shirt design,” he said, but added that “only public discussion that there could be a visual proximity is enough for a process to be initiated.” exchange”.
Previously, Adidas spokesperson Oliver Brüggen had explained that it was not the sporting goods company, but the DFB, that was responsible for the design of the numbers.
“The DFB and its partner 11Teamsports are responsible for the design of the names and numbers,” he said, according to BILD.
In any case, Adidas has removed number 44 from the online store and this number is no longer listed for sale in the official DFB store either.
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2024-04-12 21:57:34