A Colombian judge issued a precautionary measure prohibiting presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriña from using the Colombian national team jersey in his campaign [1].
The ruling targets the use of national sports symbols for political gain, establishing a legal boundary between athletic representation and electoral promotion. By restricting the use of the jersey, the court aims to prevent the appropriation of national identity to influence voters.
De la Espriña and his political movement, Defensores de la Patria, are barred from wearing the kit during campaign activities while a tutela, a legal mechanism for protecting fundamental rights, is decided [1], [2]. The court said that the use of the national team apparel must be directed toward sporting practices rather than political ends [3].
The measure was issued on June 4, 2024 [1]. The ruling said that national symbols should not be utilized as tools for electoral campaigns [3].
This restriction applies to both the candidate and the broader Defensores de la Patria movement [1]. The court's decision reflects a broader effort to ensure that symbols of national unity, such as the soccer team's imagery, remain neutral and separated from the partisan divide of a presidential race [3].
Legal representatives for the movement have not yet provided a public response to the specific terms of the precautionary measure. The case continues as the court determines the final outcome of the tutela process [1], [2].
“The use of the jersey must be directed toward sporting practices and not to political campaign purposes.”
This ruling sets a legal precedent in Colombia regarding the intersection of national identity and political campaigning. By classifying the national team jersey as a sporting symbol rather than a generic national one, the court is limiting how candidates can leverage populist imagery to signal patriotism. This may lead to further legal challenges over the use of other national symbols in upcoming elections.
