In a few shots of her latest video condemning the handling of the global migrant crisis, M.I.A. can be seen wearing a modified version of the iconic Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) jersey[1]. The jersey normally has the name of one of the club’s main sponsors, Fly Emirates, across the middle; M.I.A., however, wore a jersey that instead read “Fly Pirates” across the middle. While the minor modification may seem trivial to some, the club’s deputy CEO, Jean Claude Blanc, responded fairly soon after the video’s debut by sending the rapper a letter requesting to “(1) Cease the broadcasting of images on any media which show the [PSG] jersey… (2) Refrain from using [their] image or brand in any way without [their] authorization, and (3) Compensate [them] for the harm [they] have suffered” within 24 hours.[2] In the letter, they claim that M.I.A. caused them “an image prejudice” and has “unduly taken advantage from the considerable reputation of [the] club” by associating their logo and jersey with the denunciation of the treatment of refugees.[3] They list the club’s achievements in the French and European soccer leagues, along with the fact that the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation, “the club’s charitable enterprise,” donated one million euros to the refugee crisis on September 9th, 2015.[4]
Her response? She merely tweeted a scan of all four pages of the letter, and later an image of her wearing the jersey in her video with the caption “MIA vs PSG[5],” sparking mass outrage among her followers. However, in an interview with noisy.com, M.I.A. gave more insight on the issue from her point of view, explaining that the shirt was not meant to be a direct attack on the club or their UAE sponsorship, as some rumors suggested.[6] She further called the club’s actions “arrogant” and “not cool,” as the message of her video was meant to transcend her modified jersey.[7]
PSG has stated that “although the club wants to protect its image, no legal action is currently being taken.”[8] Yet, should the club decide to exercise its “right to seek all remedies available at law to compensate the prejudice already suffered,”[9] M.I.A. does not seem to be concerned. In fact, she stated in her interview regarding the dispute, “The entire NFL came after me. And I won. So if they want to come after me on a t-shirt, that’s crazy to me. It’s not even a big enough fight to me this year.”[10]