Online sales of sports jerseys bearing the symbols of Kazakhstan's national team have surged, but these are not official merchandise, according to infohub.kz.
The Sports Development Directorate under Kazakhstan's Ministry of Tourism and Sports issued an official warning after social media posts advertised such kits. The clarification came after a post about selling a national team jersey, and earlier, on February 22, blogger Amir Datbayev published a video from the Under Armour brand store in Mega Silk Way, showing the Olympic team's jersey. He noted that it was not available for purchase.
"The Under Armour jersey of Kazakhstan's Olympic team in the brand store at Mega Silk Way. Unfortunately, it's not for sale, only on display," Amir Datbayev wrote on Threads.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports questioned the authenticity of products sold online. According to Under Armour, the official national team kit is not currently produced or sold as a finished product. Only original brand sportswear is available in official stores.
"Thus, products sold online as official national team jerseys are not official Under Armour merchandise. Moreover, the sale of such kits at prices significantly different from the original products raises reasonable doubts about their authenticity," the Sports Development Directorate said.
In light of this, Kazakh citizens are urged to buy sportswear only from official Under Armour stores to avoid purchasing products of unknown origin.
The directorate emphasized that it is not the trademark holder, manufacturer, or seller of these products and is not authorized to evaluate goods sold by third parties. However, the agency said it will officially ask the manufacturer to take measures to protect exclusive rights, check trademark and industrial design registration, and if signs of counterfeiting are found, report to judicial and law enforcement authorities.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that an inspection was launched in the Almaty region after parents complained about school uniforms at the Belinsky school in Karasai district. The education department reminded that schools can independently choose the style and color of uniforms but cannot force parents to buy them from a specific manufacturer or seller.