Date: 22nd October 2026
Getting Shirty
By Donald C Stewart
Does your replica shirt include the sweat of a Cambodian worker?
In a recent BBC expose, it is a question that was asked of anybody wearing Aston Villa, Liverpool or Celtic tops. In their investigation looking at factories which supply Adidas tops, the BBC found the conditions that Cambodian workers were working under saw them taking home pay that was the equivalent of £1 per day.
Given that replica shirts are selling for nearly a hundred pounds a pop this seems to be a scandal that clubs such as Glasgow Celtic who have a proud tradition of having ethics and morals at the core of decision making perhaps need to take a wee moment to look at. Time to decide whether this is morally sustainable given the world in which we now live.
We are well used to private companies becoming involved in the provision of care or health services due to the 1980s boon and questioning whether or not the state can provide these services competently, efficiently and cost-effectively. We are therefore complicit in seeing organisations, the likes of Adidas and probably others in fairness, subcontracting their work out to other organisations. In an effort to bring to the marketplace product which happens to be more affordable for us all, this has led to the exploitation of Cambodian workers.
We might like lower prices, but the reality is that Adidas are making more profit rather than this being an attempt to lower the price of replica shirts for families. Families, who wish to support their club and think they’re investing in a small way to the club. In actual fact are being used as part of this exploitative process.
Ethics within football has been a question over the last decade or so, including where we start to punish players who are gambling whilst accepting gambling sponsorships on shirts and in cup ties.
It’s a long time since we last had either tobacco alcohol being used as sponsorship for sporting events but perhaps, we need to look a little further than simply accepting that clubs and major retailers have the right to subcontract to anywhere to try and lower the prices for the fans – especially when it is not lowering any prices whatsoever. I’m not suggesting people go into their cupboards and start to shred their Adidas tops or that Adidas are likely to be the only huge conglomerate out there exploiting workers the world over. I am quite sure there are others at it too, but it does raise an ethical and moral question that footballing authorities and their member clubs should very clearly be addressing.
Look no further to find reasons behind why Infantino attempted to sell off some of our golden balls in the World Cup to private investors. The furore that has seen it shelved perhaps needs a new focus. His apology is welcome; his resignation and disappearance would appease more people.
But as supporters and clubs, we should be calling to account many of the companies who are making huge and vast sums from the supporters at points of sale the length and breadth of Scotland. We should start to ask whether the likes of Adidas should come off any approved list for supplying kit.
The SFA or the SPFL could begin to put some sort of moral task force together to look at whether or not Scottish football and Scottish supporters are supporting not just a club but an exploitative practice that should It should come to an end.
As I write this, I begin to see a flaw. Did you spot it? Morality, SFA, SPFL…
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Tags: oor Donald, SFA, SPFL