MILAN (AP) — haiti was forced to change the design of world cup The move comes just months after the Caribbean nation was forced to modify its uniforms, which were deemed too political by FIFA. winter olympic uniforms.
The jersey, made by Colombian sportswear manufacturer Saeta, originally featured a depiction of the final battle of the Haitian War of Independence in 1803 on the front. This image was rejected during FIFA’s approval process.
Saeta said in a statement Wednesday that the design was not “intended as a political statement” but rather complied with the ban as “a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future.”
The sportswear manufacturer said the jersey featured blue to reflect the ocean and red to represent the country’s “strength and passion.” The players wore the currently banned uniforms in last week’s warm-up match against Peru. The original design is currently sold out at the SaetaUSA online shop.
Similarly, the International Olympic Committee has demanded that the portrait of Haiti’s founding father Toussaint Louverture be removed from the uniform for Haiti’s opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, in violation of Olympic rules banning political symbols.
Haiti gained independence in 1804 and is widely regarded as the world’s first independent nation, founded by former slaves after a successful slave revolt.
Stella Jean, the Italian-Haitian designer who designed the Olympic uniforms, came up with a creative solution: painting the figures, leaving just the horses against a backdrop of tropical foliage. This design was in such high demand that Jean later created a production version featuring the original Louverture image.
“In any case, Haiti has to set a record: two reprimands from the highest international sports authority in just a few months,” Jean told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Haiti opens its World Cup campaign against Scotland on Saturday in Foxboro, Mass., then faces five-time champions Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia and Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
