Will anti-piracy replica shirt technology also come to Africa?

Everyone knows the serious problem we have in South Africa of fake replica shirts and other soccer merchandise denying football clubs and national teams of additional income rightly due to them.

This is a problem particularly prevalent in the music industry. It is widely believed that this fake merchandise is largely manufactured by Asian criminals and hence the term “Fong Kong” – the colloquial term widely used when referring to counterfeit goods in general here in South Africa.

However, it appears that there is light ahead of the tunnel as Adidas have come up with a technology, which they are using in the manufacture of shirts for some of the major clubs they sponsor in Europe, which will go a long way towards defeating piracy. The technology is incorporated in the design of the shirt, more specifically the back. It is integrated into the names and numbers of the players in the form of very complex system of special effects.

This technology is obviously an Adidas trade secret but it manifests itself in a very subtle 3-dimesional look which cannot be achieved without the secret technology. Every letter and number will have a hidden security mark that will be transferred onto the shirts with special heat-fusing devices.

Besides their anti-piracy properties the shirts will also be extremely light, flexible and resistant to water and tears, which should enhance the player’s comfort and therefore lead to better sporting performance to the benefit of both the player and the team. Since Orlando Pirates FC and Bafana Bafana are sponsored by Adidas, I hope that this technology also filters down to them.

Now on another subject, I recently gave credit to Lebo M for the brilliantly executed opening ceremony of the Confed Cup which is currently underway in South Africa. I would just like to add that he was actually part of the VWV Consortium which actually won the contract to stage the ceremony, so congratulations to them all, Lebo M included.

A lot of people don’t realise just how much work went into making that memorable opening ceremony the stunning success that it was and the positive image it projected of the country.

Here is some interesting trivia about that opening ceremony: firstly, it took months of planning; then there were two solid weeks of rehearsals, everyday of the week; and 600 litres of paint were used to paint the flags of the 8 competing countries and the Confed Cup logo and, off course, on the day, flawless performances by all involved.