Rio's Flamengo retires bad-luck jersey after two consecutive defeats

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Rio's football club Flamengo has decided to retire the team's brand new jersey after two defeats in the matches in which the uniform was used, local media said on Tuesday.

Flamengo's new uniform, based on the 70s version of the club kit, was used for the first time on July 17, when the team lost its five-round invincibility to Parana state's Coritiba 1-0. On July 20, the team lost again 1-0 to Bahia state's Vitoria.

After the second defeat, some fans claimed the new jersey brought bad luck, even though Flamengo was still adjusting to the loss of two of its star players, Marcinho and Renato Augusto, who were transferred in the beginning of July.

Flamengo chairman Marcio Braga decided then to retire the new uniform. The team is expected to wear the 2007/2008 model until the end of the Brazilian League, in December.

Superstitions aside, Flamengo is said to have a more significant reason for retiring the new uniform: the court struggle the club is having with its uniform manufacturer, Nike.

In May, Flamengo tried to break the agreement with Nike, which goes until July 2009, to sign a better deal with local manufacturer Olympikus. However, Nike won a court order which forced the club to fulfill the contract.

After two defeats in a row, Flamengo's lead in the Brazilian League is threatened. If the club ties or loses its next game, which will be played on Wednesday, it will risk losing the first position to runner-up Gremio, which is only one point behind.