Reebok blames 'design error' for regrettable UFC Ireland shirt

Reebok removed a controversial T-shirt from its online store on Wednesday after harsh criticism from fans, who decried it as insensitive and offensive.

The ‘UFC Ireland Map Tee’, made available this week in advance of Saturday’s Fight Night 76 card in Dublin, features a map of Ireland with Northern Irelandomitted, leaving only the Republic of Ireland pictured.

“Show your UFC territorial allegiance with this UFC Ireland map tee,” read the unfortunately worded description for the shirt, which retailed for €23 ($26) before it was taken down.

The sneaker giant, which in 2014 signed a six-year deal worth a reported $70m to become the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s exclusive outfitter and apparel provider, blamed a “design flaw” for the gaffe.

The shirt prompted widespread backlash on Wednesday, most visibly from John Kavanagh, coach of UFC interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor and the head of Dublin’s renowned Straight Blast Gym.

After initially blasting the shirt as an “incredibly insensitive stupid divisive idea” and threatening to terminate his gym’s just-announced partnership with Reebokif it wasn’t removed from the company’s online portal, Kavanagh later released an expanded statement.

“The reason I was so annoyed by that T-shirt was because of the tag line ‘show your territorial allegiance’,” he tweeted. “My girlfriend is from Belfast, a city that has experienced a lot of senseless killings on both sides. This type of rhetoric only serves to fuel negative emotions and brings out the worst in us.

“For the record I’m not interested in political arguments. I’m more of a Carl Sagan type person. We’re all on this pale blue dot for a few short decades trying to find happiness. We are all one after all. I’m happy to see it’s been removed from their site and I’m sure future designs will be more thoughtful.”

Reebok’s UK subsidiary expressed regret for the controversy in a statement issued Wednesday after it was removed.

“We sincerely apologise for the offence caused by the UFC Ireland T-shirt,” the company said. “This was a design error and has now been removed.”

Story:theguardian

photograph:Rebook