Nyon, September 14 (BNA): Ajax must change its famous Bob Marley-themed shirts for Champions League matches because the idea of the three little birds breaches equipment rules, the European Football Association (UEFA) said Tuesday.
The Dutch champion received wide acclaim and an off-season sales rush for launching a black uniform with small red, yellow and green birds on the back of the shirt collar.
It’s a tribute to Ajax fans singing Marley’s song “Three Little Birds” at the games as their anthem, according to the Associated Press.
UEFA said the club was told after the design was submitted for approval a year ago that it would not be approved for match wear.
“The three birds in honor of the Bob Marley song do not represent the identification of Ajax as provided in Article 13 of the Equipment Regulations,” UEFA said in a statement, adding that the manufacturer “was given options on how to design the design. Be adaptive.”
Ajax decided that their players would wear the game’s jerseys without a clue while selling a copy to fans with the birds.
The team’s uniform is the iconic thick red and white vertical stripes. Ajax’s Champions League campaign begins on Wednesday in Sporting Lisbon. The group also includes Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas.
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