MANNEQUINS
The unveiling of the full line on Jun 23 – which included tracksuits, polo shirts and T-shirts – was also done with mannequins, prompting unhappiness among some sports fans.
Footage of the ceremony, held at an upmarket mall in Kuala Lumpur, showed the mannequins first wrapped in black cloth, with the fabric later removed following a countdown. Celebratory music and a smattering of applause could be heard.
A Facebook post about the event by the council attracted dozens of negative comments, with some calling the look “extremely shameful” and “hideous”.
An OCM official later admitted that it was a mistake to use mannequins to showcase the kits.
The council announced on Jun 28 that it would improve the widely-panned design to better bring out the tiger motif on the jackets. The council’s logo would also be revised to better reflect the Malaysian flag.
Regarding the gold collared T-shirt, Mohamad Norza said the same design and motif would be retained but with the OCM logo changed to the colours of the Malaysian national flag as “a mark of respect”.
“OCM believes that this new design symbolises the tiger spirit, which has become the identity of the Malaysian contingent since it was first introduced at the Southeast Asian Games in Manila in 2005.
“It is the hope of OCM … that the tiger spirit will inspire the national athletes to roar in the city of Paris,” he said.