Adidas on Wednesday apologized for the error on Atlanta United’s third kit, dubbed the “Unity Kit,” and a spokesman said the company is discussing with partners if a corrected version of the jersey can be produced.
The “Unity Kit” featured 13 messages about humanity in 11 languages within its design. A phrase in Hebrew was printed left to right, instead of right to left. The kit was unveiled last week at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta and worn for the first time in last week’s game against Philadelphia.
The Adidas spokesman said the error was caught during one of the checkpoints in its review process before the jersey was mass produced. The production facility was alerted and sent the corrected, approved materials. But the update wasn’t carried out by the factory.
The error wasn’t caught again until after the jersey was manufactured.
“The error should have been corrected, and we wholeheartedly apologize that it was not,” the Adidas spokesman wrote in an email. “We are swiftly working with the full cooperation of our factory partner to re-examine the review process and make immediate changes so this does not happen again.”
The Adidas spokesman said that while the review process is ongoing, it is discussing with its partners if the corrected version of the jersey can be produced and distributed. The kit is considered a limited run, and the plan is for Atlanta United to wear it four more times this season, and then it will be retired.
A women’s cut of the jersey wasn’t produced because the jersey is a limited run. However, the spokesman said the company is listening to feedback and is seeing an interest in expanded and inclusive sizing.
“We absolutely look to deliver on those needs as we expand size runs for the future,” the spokesman wrote.
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