BERLIN (AP) — The German Football Federation and Adidas have stopped selling German jerseys with the number 44 on them because of their similarity to the logo of the Nazi party's infamous SS militia.
Adidas on Monday stopped offering customization of jerseys with names and numbers, and the federation stopped shipping No. 44 jerseys from its online shop.
The federation said it was looking for an alternative design for the number 4 jersey, along with its 11 team sports partners.
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“No one involved recognized any similarities to Nazi symbolism during the development process of the jersey design,” the federation said on X (formerly Twitter).
The move to withdraw the number 44 uniform began after it was pointed out that the four numbers combined resembled the stylized SS used by the Nazi party's Schutzstaffel group. Commonly known as the SS, the organization included police and combat units that operated concentration camps that committed mass murders of civilians during World War II.
Stylized SS symbols are currently banned in Germany.
Adidas spokesperson Oliver Brüggen told news agency dpa that the federation and 11 Team Sports were responsible for designing the name and number on the shirt.
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“People from around 100 countries work at Adidas. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, and as a company we actively campaign against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence and all forms of hatred. “We are working hard,” Brüggen said. “Attempts to promote divisive or exclusive views are not part of our values as a brand.”
Bruggen said Adidas “strongly rejects any suggestion that this is our intention.”
Germany will host the European Championship from June 14th to July 14th.
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