Newly designed British kit ridiculed by athletes

As the newly designed British kit for the World Athletics Championships were unveiled yesterday, leading athletes were quick to ridicule the new uniform, which has been stripped of its ubiquitous Union Jack.

Greg Rutherford, the olympic long run champion, criticised the re-design of the kit, calling it 'ridiculous and wrong.'

Designed by Nike, who secured a seven-year deal to outfit the championship teams, it is the first time the union jack has been omitted from the British kit since 1997.

Social media was rife with commetators staying the uniforms resemble the French or Czech Republic strip.

When asked who was to blame, Rutherford noted: “British Athletics buy from Nike, so they make what they’re asked to make, so I think it’s not their fault at all. I think where the issue arrives is federations not talking to the athletes first.”

The previous kit was designed by Adidas for the world championships in Moscow, and featured a prominent union jack.

UK Athletics’ chief executive officer Niels de Vos rejected Rutherford’s criticisms and said the organisation had drawn on the Team GB logo used during London 2012 in a bid to help promote British Athletics in the build up to the 2017 World Championships in London.