Adidas, the German sports kit manufacturer, has found itself facing a storm of controversy over its new kit.
Adidas has banned German football fans from buying replica jerseys which are customised with the number 44. The font used for numbers on the jersey makes ‘44’ look similar to the emblem of the notorious SS, which was responsible for some of the worst German atrocities committed in World War II.
The resemblance of the numbers to the SS emblem was pointed out by a German historian, Michael König.
Adidas said it would be blocking any personalisation of the jerseys. The company said that any resemblance to Nazi symbolism was purely coincidental.
It also said that an alternate design for the number 44 would be developed.
Adidas has faced some controversy in recent times. A rival sports gear manufacturer, Nike, will replace Adidas as the supplier of kit to the German football association from 2027, which has caused some controversy in the country. In addition, the country’s new ‘away’ kit is pink, which is ostensibly to celebrate Germany’s diversity, while critics have said it is untraditional and simply a ploy by the German football association to make more money.
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