Denmark to wear Hummel’s ‘protest kit’ at World Cup finals in Qatar
COPENHAGEN: Denmark will wear “toned down” shirts for the World Cup to protest against host Qatar’s human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.
Kit provider Hummel has also designed a third, all-black kit, to represent the “colour of mourning”.
Hummel said it “does not wish to be visible” in a tournament it claims “has cost thousands of lives”. A statement said: “We support the Danish national team but that isn’t the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation.”
As part of the design, the Denmark badge is also “toned down”. Their playing kit will be a plain red home shirt and an all-white second kit.
Denmark’s training kit sponsors will also withdraw their logos to give room for messages critical of Qatar.
Qatar officials have previously disputed the figures on the death of migrant workers working on World Cup facilities, saying the actual total figure at the time in 2021 was 37.
Hummel added: “We wish to make a statement about Qatar’s human rights record and its treatment of the migrant workers that have built the country’s World Cup stadiums. We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn’t, we want to make a statement.”
Claim denied
The Qatar 2022 supreme committee, which organises the tournament, disputed Hummel’s claims about the deaths of migrant workers.
Its own statement said: “We have engaged in robust and transparent dialogue with the Danish Football Association (DBU). We wholeheartedly reject the trivialising of our genuine commitment to protect the health and safety of the 30,000 workers who built stadiums and other tournament projects.
“We have worked diligently alongside the Qatari government to ensure that the tournament delivers a lasting social legacy.”
The committee also urged the DBU to “accurately convey the outcome of their extensive communication and work with the [committee]” to Hummel.
Denmark have previously said they will put “extra pressure” on FIFA over human rights concerns in the build-up to the World Cup, which starts on 20 November.
Nine national team captains plan to wear a OneLove armband during the World Cup as part of a campaign started by the Netherlands to promote diversity and inclusion, and stand against discrimination.
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