Picture Credit: Instagram
The Denmark men’s f ootball team is set to wear ‘toned down’ jerseys for their 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar as a sign of protest against the human right crisis that ensued during construction work for the global tournament.
The Danish team will be wearing an all-red, all-white and all-black jersey with almost invisible decals as the team and the kit sponsor Hummel Sport don’t want to be visible in a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives. Despite FIFA's World Cup rules prohibition of political statements on team uniforms, these three Denmark shirt designs tend to comply with no words or symbols that are explicit statements.
In an Instagram post about the jersey, Hummel said: "With the Danish national team's new jerseys, we wanted to send a dual message. They are not only inspired by Euro 92, paying tribute to Denmark's greatest football success, but also a protest against Qatar and its human rights record."
"That's why we've toned down all the details for Denmark's new World Cup jerseys, including our logo and iconic chevrons. We don't wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives."
"We support the Danish national team all the way, but that isn't the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation. We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn't, we want to make a statement."
In response to these team uniforms, Qatar’s World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy [SC] has disputed Hummel and Denmark’s claim with a statement saying, "Furthermore, we wholeheartedly reject the trivialising our genuine commitment to protect the health and safety of the 30,000 workers who built FIFA World Cup stadiums and other tournament projects.”
"The SC's work is recognized by numerous entities within the international human rights community as a model that has accelerated progress and improved lives," organizers said, citing the U.N.'s International Labor Organization.”
