Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Haiti have been forced to change their kit design just days before their World Cup opener against Scotland after FIFA banned a depiction of a war scene on the shirts. An illustration of the Battle of Vertieres in 1803, which secured Haiti’s independence, with the Haitian flag had been embedded on the shirts worn by the players in two warm-up friendlies in Florida.
Colombian manufacturer Saeta said on Wednesday that they have modified the kit to meet FIFA’s regulations. “The final design presented by Saeta was intended as a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future and was not intended as a political statement,” Saeta said in a statement posted on Instagram. “During the review process, FIFA determined that certain visual elements could be interpreted differently under its equipment regulations and ultimately requested modifications to the design. While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA.”
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Haiti begin their first World Cup campaign in 52 years against Scotland in Boston on Saturday. The Caribbean minnows, ranked 83rd in the world, then face the might of five-time winners Brazil and African champions Morocco in Group C. Haiti’s qualification is one of the most inspiring tales of the tournament. Despite a backdrop of domestic chaos, with the impoverished nation grappling with gang violence that meant they were unable to play home qualifiers in the country, they have reached just a second World Cup in their history.
“We know people might have a bad image of our country, that it has lots of problems, but this will do the country, the people, my family so much good,” star midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde told AFP.
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