- Football fans who buy and wear fake football jerseys have been cautioned by health experts
- Counterfeit jerseys have flooded the market due to the high cost of acquiring an original one
- Kenyan Premier League side Shabana FC recently banned their fans from wearing fake jerseys
Football fans wearing fake football jerseys in the United Kingdom have been sent a strict warning about the risk of wearing them.
Source: Twitter
Counterfeit jerseys are not something new and have flooded the market worldwide.
How much is an original jersey?
The jerseys, which look legitimate at face value, are readily accessible to fans due to their cheap cost. An original jersey could cost up to £85 (KSh 15,000) in the designated club stores, while a fake one goes for around £15 (KSh 2500).
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In Kenya, the fan versions cost around KSh 1000 to KSh 2500, but there are millions of others for as cheap as KSh 150.
Fans wearing fake jerseys warned
Fans wearing the counterfeit jerseys have, however, been given a strict warning by health experts. As BBC Sports reports, the experts argue that the material used to make the fake jerseys is substandard and poses a huge health concern.
“Wearing that strip could cause irritation. It could even cause more significant problems – particularly if harmful toxins or dyes are used to manufacture those products,” said Chloe Lang, the deputy director general at the Anti-Counterfeiting Group.
Lang further said that since the manufacturers of the counterfeit jerseys are not guided by any laws or regulations, it is difficult to monitor how they are making their products.
“It’s very difficult to know retrospectively what’s been put into the product, but you can see in some instances that they could be harmful.”
“So you don’t know what could happen when you put that in the washing machine with other products and, particularly if you’re buying it for children, this is just not a risk that you should be taking.”
Source: Twitter
Shabana FC bans counterfeit jerseys
Closer home, top-flight club Shabana FC are actively engaged in banning counterfeit products from their side.
The Gusii-based team has repeatedly warned their fans not to wear fake jerseys and instead only source kits from their approved stores.
“Fans wearing counterfeit jerseys will not be allowed entry to both Shabana day and our home matches,” read the statement.
The club later walked the talk and burned the fake jerseys they confiscated from fans.
Why do fans buy fake jerseys?
It is mostly down to the high cost of the jerseys from the official stores.
“I’ve always loved showing my support for my team, but the official shirts are way out of my budget. Buying these (counterfeit) lets me still feel part of the club, wear the colours proudly, and go to matches without spending too much. Honestly, they look almost the same as the real thing, and for me, it’s more about passion. I know the club loses a little bit, but I don’t have enough money to buy from the official stores,” said David Kibet, a Gor Mahia and Arsenal fan, told TUKO.co.ke.
Arsenal fans gift Ida Arsenal jersey
In a different report, Arsenal fans gifted Ida Odinga a jersey after visiting Raila Odinga’s final resting place in Siaya.
Raila, who was a staunch Arsenal fan, died on October 15 while receiving treatment in India.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
