“Adidas” blocks the sale of jerseys with the number 44 because of the Nazi connection
Sportswear manufacturer Adidas and the German Football Association (DFB) have blocked the sale of the German national team jerseys with the number 44 in response to criticism of the design, which resembles a Nazi symbol.
“We will block the customization of jerseys in our online store,” said adidas spokesperson Oliver Bruggen.
As of Monday afternoon, you can no longer customize shirts with your name and number in the “Adidas” online store. Meanwhile, the DFB has stopped the delivery of shirts with the number 44 already ordered in its online store.
Social media users recently noticed that the number 44 in the new design, unveiled last month, resembles the logo of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a large paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party.
Adidas was heavily criticized, but Brüggen said that “the DFB and its partner 11teamsports are responsible for the design of the names and numbers”.
