Adidas Halts Sales of Germany's Number 44 Jersey Amid Controversy

Storm over the new Germany jersey. A storm that forced Adidas to make a drastic decision regarding the official kits of the German national football team. The sportswear company indeed decided to ban the sale of the jersey with the number 44. This move was triggered by a 'lively' debate on social media, which highlighted how the number and the character used for Germany's uniform for the Euro 2024 presented a disturbing resemblance to the symbols used during the Second World War by the Nazi SS, an organization notoriously responsible for some of the most atrocious crimes against humanity. The issue was first raised by historian Michael König, who described the design of the kits as 'very questionable'. Faced with these concerns, Adidas acted promptly, showing serious attention to historical sensitivity and deep respect for the victims of Nazism. Germany Jersey, Adidas Stops Sale of Number 44 Jersey Adidas has banned football fans from customizing the German national team jersey with the number 44 due to its similarity to the symbol used by the Nazi SS units during the Second World War. The Schutzstaffel (SS), a paramilitary organization of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich, were tasked with carrying out the genocide of Jews throughout Europe. An Adidas spokesperson, Oliver Brüggen, denied that the resemblance of the kit to Nazi symbols was intentional. 'As a company, we are committed to opposing xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence, and hatred in any form - he stated - We will block the customization of the jerseys.'