Rangers kit row: Will Ibrox side have to wear alternative home strip in Europe?
The Light Blues’ new royal blue home kit features subtle stripes, interspersed with embossed Rangers crests. The kit is completed by retro-style white collar and cuffs with red piping.
Article 14 of UEFA’s rules for club strips states: “A team emblem may be displayed only once on each item of playing attire (i.e. the shirt, shorts and each sock).
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Hide Ad“There are no restrictions as to the shape of team emblems, which must, however, be sized and positioned as follows:
a. On shirts: maximum of 100cm², on the front of the shirt, at chest height, above sponsor advertising (if any).”
European football’s governing body introduced a new set of kit regulations in September last year, but the rules relating to crest placement were already in use.
However, the Ibrox side look to have adhered to UEFA’s rules on team emblems according to the second section of Article 14: “Teams may register more than one emblem and different registered emblems may be used on different items of playing attire, provided they have been authorised by the UEFA administration in writing in accordance with Article 13.”
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Hide AdArticle 13, which concerns team identification, states: “Teams may use the following types of identification on playing attire:
i. team emblem;
ii. team mascot;
iii. team symbol;
iv. national flag or national symbol;
v. coat of arms or flag of town or region.”
UEFA stipulates that each team emblem must be registered as a trademark and in Article 12 on “Decorative elements”, clarifies the matter further:
“Decorative elements appearing on playing attire must be incorporated using one of the following techniques:
i. jacquard weave;
ii. tonal print;
iii. embossing;
iv. any other technique approved in writing by the UEFA administration;
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Hide Adv. adhere to the colour contrast requirements as stipulated in Article 53.”
The main Rangers crest on the new kit features five stars, to represent their 50 Scottish league titles, while the emblem embossed within the kit design shows the intertwined “RFC” logo without the stars. The Gers also have a second official crest - the lion rampant badge - which has never been worn on a shirt.
Furthermore, Article 18 - which deals with “jacquard weave, tonal print or embossing” states: “One type of team identification, or a part thereof, may also be incorporated into playing attire using one of the following techniques:
a. jacquard weave;
b. tonal print;
c. embossing; or
d. any other technique approved in writing by the UEFA administration.”
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Hide AdThe guidelines also make clear that there is no limit to the “number, size or positioning of the team identification chosen”.
By altering the club crest i.e. removing the stars, the kit is within the UEFA guidelines, as the design represents a “team emblem” incorporated using “embossing” - so despite reports to the contrary, it looks as though Rangers will be clear to wear their new home kit without contravening UEFA rules.