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Germany fans banned from buying number 44 kits over Nazi symbolism

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Adidas has decided to prohibit football fans from customizing German football kits with the number 44 due to concerns raised by the media regarding its resemblance to symbols used by Nazi SS units during World War Two. This decision comes after historian Michael König criticized the design, calling it “questionable” due to its similarity to the SS rune, which was associated with the atrocities committed by the Nazis.

The controversial kit has also faced criticism for its choice of pink as the away color, with some supporters seeing it as a representation of diversity, while others view it as a non-traditional choice aimed at generating revenue for the German Football Association (DFB).

Adidas spokesperson Oliver Brüggen emphasized that the resemblance to Nazi symbols was unintentional and stated the company’s commitment to opposing hatred and discrimination in all forms. The DFB explained that the shirt designs, including the numbers, were approved by UEFA during the design process, with no concerns raised about Nazi symbolism. They also announced plans to develop an alternative design for the number 4.

Furthermore, controversy surrounds the decision by the DFB to switch from Adidas to Nike as the manufacturer of German football kits starting in 2027, criticized by some for lacking patriotism. Germany is set to host the upcoming European Football Championship, which will take place across 10 cities.

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Row erupts over German football team switching supplier from Adidas to Nike

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The decision by the German Football Association (DFB) to change the supplier of the national team’s kit from Adidas to Nike starting in 2027 has sparked strong reactions from German politicians. Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach both voiced their disapproval, with Habeck expressing a desire for more local patriotism and Lauterbach labeling the move as “wrong”. The long-standing partnership between Adidas and the German national team, spanning over 70 years, has been a significant part of the country’s football culture.

The DFB defended its decision, emphasizing the financial benefits and support for grassroots football in Germany that the new partnership with Nike would bring. Despite understanding the emotional attachment to the Adidas brand, the DFB stated that economic considerations necessitated the switch. Nike’s substantially higher financial offer, reported to be around €100 million annually compared to Adidas’s €50 million, played a significant role in the decision-making process.

The controversy surrounding the change in kit supplier highlights the intersection of sports, tradition, and commerce. Politicians from across the political spectrum in Germany have expressed concerns about departing from a longstanding partnership that is deeply intertwined with the national team’s identity. As the DFB navigates this transition, it faces the challenge of balancing financial imperatives with the preservation of cultural and sporting heritage.

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Nike latest brand to leave Russia permanently

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Since the invasion of Ukraine in February, Nike is the most recent Western company to announce plans to depart Russia. In March, the US sportswear juggernaut stopped accepting online orders and shut its local stores.

Local partners’ stores continued to be open, but the company is ending their contracts with them. Networking behemoth Cisco recently announced that it would begin to completely cease operations in Belarus and Russia. McDonald’s and Starbucks are two additional businesses that have recently finalised their exit strategies.

Nike issued a statement saying, “Nike has decided to exit the Russian market.” As we sensibly reduce our activities over the upcoming months, our first focus is to make sure we are adequately supporting our staff. Since the invasion, as the West and its allies have imposed sanctions and multinational corporations have fled the country, Russia has become more and more economically isolated.

According to Reuters, the nation is currently working on legislation that would punish foreign corporations looking to leave, enabling the government to take their assets and apply criminal penalties.

According to its website, Nike has more than 50 stores in Russia, with nearly a third of them being closed. Russian media claimed in May that the firm was terminating its contract with its biggest franchisee in that country, who was in charge of 37 locations.

Russia and Ukraine collectively contributed less than 1% of Nike’s total revenue, as previously revealed. On Thursday, Cisco announced that it had “decided to start an orderly wind-down of our business in Russia and Belarus.”A few hundred employees will be impacted by this choice, the US company stated, adding that it wanted to make sure they are “treated with dignity.”

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europe times european news gadgets technology Nike new BB Self lacing smart sneaker
Gadgets Technology

Nike Adapt BB Self Lacing Sneaker to hit the Shoe Market

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Nike has launched the all new Adapt BB self lacing sneaker to amaze the world shoe market. This smart sneaker will be available at a cost of $350. The shoe is described smart as it can be controlled by your smart phone with the application installed in it. The ‘BB’ stands for Basket ball, as the company has came up with the Basket ball shoe this time.

This is the second generation of the Nike Adapt platform. What makes it special is the technology that is used inside it. On the side of the shoe, you are provided with two manual buttons. These buttons allows you to loosen, or tighten the shoe manually, by pressing and holding the buttons provided.

What makes it really astonishing is is the app that becomes a part of this. This is a ‘smart connected’ shoe. As like the buttons, the app also allows you to adjust the tightness. Also, you can change the color of the lights on the shoe with the app.

We can also personalize the shoe settings for various uses and save it in the app. Another interesting element about the sneaker is its power charging method. A power mat will be provided, on which the shoe can be put and will get fully charged with almost three hours. The power lasts till 10 to 14 days. you can view the power status on the mat as well as on your mobile app.

Nike says that this is their most tested shoe ever. They went through almost 55 innovations to finally get to the Nike Adapter BB Sneaker. The Nike Adapter comes with 3 processors on-board. It also has a 6 axis gyroscope and a sensor.It also has a high performance bluetooth low energy chip. The cost of this second generation smart sneaker is $350, which is quite better than the first one that costs $720.

Sunaya Paison
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