Why UEFA Forced Inter Milan To Change Snake Of 21-22 Nike Away Kit

Inter Milan had to modify their 2021-2022 away kit to apply with the official UEFA Equipment Regulations. Let us find out which rule it had broken.

UEFA Equipment Regulations Ban Pictorial Patterns

Inter's original snake design did certainly not apply with Article 8.08 of the official UEFA Equipment Regulations. Article 8.08 says that "a pattern must be non-pictorial, e.g. it must not contain any images, illustrations or any other symbols (any pattern that does not satisfy this requirement will be considered as a decorative element".

UEFA Equipment Regulations, Article 8.08: The choice of pattern is unrestricted with the following exceptions (to be assessed at the sole discretion of the UEFA administration):

the pattern must be non-pictorial, e.g. it must not contain any images, illustrations or any other symbols (any pattern that does not satisfy this requirement will be considered as a decorative element)

To apply with the official UEFA Equipment Regulations, Nike changed the colors of the snake to an almost invisible light grey.

The snake design of the home kit is compliant with UEFA Equipment Regulations as it is non-pictorial.

In 2011, Inter was allowed to keep the snake design in the Champions League but had to remove the head of the snake to apply with UEFA Equipment Regulations.

Should UEFA loosen their Equipment Regulations? Comment below.