Haiti forced to change jersey design
Haiti has changed its World Cup shirts, which depicted a war scene from the country's battle for independence, after FIFA said the nation had violated its regulations on political speech, manufacturer Saeta confirmed.
Colombia-based Saeta said it had collaborated with the Haitian Football Federation on the design, which it said "celebrated the pride, resilience, and spirit" of the Haitian people and was not intended as a political statement.
"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," Saeta said in a statement.
"While this interpretation differed from our intention, Saeta respected the process and implemented the final requirements communicated by FIFA."
Soccer's world governing body FIFA, the Haitian Football Federation and the team's media officer did not immediately respond when asked by Reuters for comment.
Haiti opens its World Cup campaign against Scotland on Sunday in Boston.
