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Denmark to wear ‘toned down’ World Cup jerseys in protest at hosts Qatar

Kit provider Hummel has also designed a third, all-black kit, to represent the “colour of mourning”.

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by MUIGAI KIGURU

Sports29 September 2022 - 21:00
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In Summary


  • • 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.
  • •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.
Denmark's Christian Eriksen in their new 'toned down' jersey during a recent Nations League match

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”.

“We support the Danish national team but that isn’t the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation,” it said.

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 said: “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.”

However, the Qatar 2022 supreme committee, which organises the tournament, disputed Hummel’s claims about the deaths of migrant workers.

“We have engaged in robust and transparent dialogue with the Danish Football Association (DBU),” a statement said. “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. BBC Sport has approached Fifa for comment.

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