Denmark national team kit supplier Hummel has released its new kit designs for the upcoming Qatar 2022 World Cup, along with a very precise message.
Sportswear manufacturer Hummel has made it explicitly clear that while they are fully behind the Danish side’s efforts to represent their people, they do not want to be “visible” during the final while it is being held in Qatar and say they do not support to the hosts as a nation, citing its human rights record and lack of protection for workers during the construction of World Cup stadiums.
An Instagram statement from Hummel along with images of the new replica kits said: “With the new Danish national team shirts, we wanted to send a double message. Not only are they inspired by Euro 92, in tribute to the great Denmark’s football success, but also in a protest against Qatar and its human rights record.
“That’s why we’ve toned down every detail on Denmark’s new World Cup shirts, including our logo and iconic stripes. We don’t want to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of lives. We support to the Danish national team all the way, but that is not the same as supporting Qatar as the host country.
“We believe that sport should bring people together. And when he doesn’t, we want to make a statement.”
In a second post showing the all-black third strip, Hummel made a statement about the host nation’s treatment of migrant workers, specifically those who had died during the construction of the tournament’s stadiums.
“Black: the color of mourning. The perfect color for Denmark’s third shirt for this year’s World Cup,” it read.
“While we support the Danish national team all the way, this should not be confused with supporting a tournament that has cost thousands of lives.
“We want to make a statement about Qatar’s human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers who have built the country’s World Cup stadiums.”
Qatari and World Cup officials have suggested that only three work-related deaths have occurred during the build-up to the upcoming World Cup.
FIFA has been criticized by Amnesty International for failing to protect workers and put in place “adequate processes” to prevent problems that continue to occur in Qatar.
In September, ahead of the finals, up to three-quarters of fans polled worldwide supported an initiative for Fifa to use World Cup revenue to compensate the families of victims who suffered in the build-up to to host the tournament, with a human rights campaign called “Pay Up Fifa” demanding up to $440m (£404m) in reparations.