Adidas has sparked controversy with the release of the new Germany National Team jersey. The typography of the numbers has caused a stir on social media, with some pointing out that number 44 resembles the nation’s troubled past.
The jersey sparked controversy due to its stylized number, bearing a resemblance to the emblem of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a paramilitary group during Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime responsible for carrying out the Holocaust.
The jersey sparked controversy due to its stylized number, bearing a resemblance to the emblem of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a paramilitary group during Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime responsible for carrying out the Holocaust.
Adidas talked about the issue
One of the brand’s spokespeople, Oliver Bruggen, has spoken to Bild, the German daily newspaper, to clarify the situation.
“The DFB and its partner 11teamsports are responsible for the design of the names and numbers. We have blocked the personalization of the jerseys in our online store. People from around 100 nations work at Adidas. Our company stands for the promotion of diversity and inclusion, and as a company, we actively campaign against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence, and hatred in all forms.
‘Any attempts to promote divisive or exclusionary views are not part of our values as a brand, and we strongly reject any suggestions that this was our intention. Our company stands for promoting diversity and inclusion,” he said.