Spanish minister Maroto's fake World Cup shirt reignites street-counterfeit debate
Spain's Industry Minister Reyes Maroto was photographed wearing a national team shirt whose World Cup patch does not match the official one, reigniting the debate over street-counterfeit goods.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Spanish minister Maroto's fake World Cup shirt reignites street-counterfeit debate
Spain's Industry Minister Reyes Maroto has been photographed wearing a Spanish national team shirt which, according to several clues, may be counterfeit and come from street vendors selling illegal copies. The controversy erupted because the World Cup patch, which should be gold to mark the title won in 2010, appears in black on the shirt the minister is wearing.
The precedent of Carlos Urquijo, former Spanish government delegate in the Basque Country, who resigned in 2012 after being caught buying from street counterfeit vendors, fuels the controversy. While that was a case of direct purchase, this time the question is whether the minister bought or was given a shirt that does not meet official specifications.
Some analyses suggest the purchase could have been institutional, adding an extra layer of controversy: if the shirt is fake, was public money used to buy it? Others point out that the minister has enough means not to resort to street vendors, so the explanation could be more prosaic: a mistake when wearing a garment bought from a street stall.
Be that as it may, the affair has revived criticism of politicians who preach against the black market while, allegedly, feeding it. The minister has not yet commented, and the controversy remains unresolved. Meanwhile, the detail of the black patch remains the proof many cite to argue that, indeed, the shirt is not official.
Spain's Industry Minister Reyes Maroto has been photographed wearing a Spanish national team shirt which, according to several clues, may be counterfeit and come from street vendors selling illegal copies. The controversy erupted because the World Cup patch, which should be gold to mark the title won in 2010, appears in black on the shirt the minister is wearing.
The precedent of Carlos Urquijo, former Spanish government delegate in the Basque Country, who resigned in 2012 after being caught buying from street counterfeit vendors, fuels the controversy. While that was a case of direct purchase, this time the question is whether the minister bought or was given a shirt that does not meet official specifications.
Some analyses suggest the purchase could have been institutional, adding an extra layer of controversy: if the shirt is fake, was public money used to buy it? Others point out that the minister has enough means not to resort to street vendors, so the explanation could be more prosaic: a mistake when wearing a garment bought from a street stall.
Be that as it may, the affair has revived criticism of politicians who preach against the black market while, allegedly, feeding it. The minister has not yet commented, and the controversy remains unresolved. Meanwhile, the detail of the black patch remains the proof many cite to argue that, indeed, the shirt is not official.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (11 replies).
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