One Irish club has just ordered a counterfeit version of its own kit being offered for sale on E-Bay - apparently from China - to check out the product (Homepage photo by Sean Rowe)
Team principal of the Scott-Eurocycles team, Paddy Daly, received a shock when he found the kit of the team he sponsors and founded being offered for sale online, apparently from China.
A counterfeit version of the kit is available on the world’s leading online marketplace, eBay, for a princely sum of AU$40 which equates to around €25.
But Daly has absolutely no idea how it got there.
What’s bizarre about it all is that the seller, simply known as ‘yonggdx99’, is also selling team kit of many of the world’s top pro teams including LottoNL-Jumbo, Movistar and BMC Racing Team.
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It appears because SCOTT is a global brand and its logo is emblazoned across the Irish club’s kit, those behind the counterfeit operation believed it was pro kit and decided to add it to its range.
This is the club's genuine kit, still in the packages and ready to go at the start of the season. Now a counterfeit version is for sale online.
Members of the team have competed at UCI Cyclocross World Cups and the World Cyclocross Championships.
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And it is possible photos of them wearing items of their club kit, even warming up before stripping down to Irish team clothing, may have resulted in the gear being spotted by the counterfeiters.
Daly is taking it all in his stride and said he is still waiting for a phone call for a landscaping job in China, given his company logo ‘Donnybrook Landscaping’ is emblazoned across the short sleeve jersey.
“A club member noticed it on eBay last night,” he told stickybottle.
“I was a little annoyed at first but I suppose imitation is the best form of compliment!
“Our gear does receive a lot of comment but this is on a whole new level; it's pretty mad there could be people wearing our gear all over the world - even if it's very poor quality.
“We can't wait for landscape queries from the Far East!”
Daly has notified some of their clothing suppliers and he’s also been in touch with eBay, seeking to find how the kit was brought to the attention of a seller apparently located in China.
“It's just one of those things; you have to take it with a pinch of salt, it’s quite funny, really.”
The kit, incidentally, seems to be selling quite well with almost 30 sets claimed to have been sold already.
The Irish kit on sale with major pro team strips on E-Bay.
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