A New Zealand-based cycling clothing firm has withdrawn kit it planned to sell in tribute of Mike Hall, who was killed last Friday while taking part in the Indian Pacific Wheel Race, after it emerged it had not sought permission from his family.
The company, Toot Kit, published pictures of the kit on Instagram and Facebook as well as on its website yesterday evening. The images have since been deleted, and the products taken off its website.
The business had invited pre-orders for the $150 Mike Hall ‘Legend’ Memorial Jersey.
But there was an anger on social media when it emerged that Hall’s family had not been contacted about it, confirmed by his partner Anna in a post to the Facebook page of the Transcontinental Race which he founded in 2013.
She wrote: “There are some companies popping up selling Mike Hall memorial kit ... his family have not been approached about this and unless it's being sold to raise money for charity I think you might agree it's in pretty poor taste.”
Some of the page’s 5,000-plus followers accused Toot Kit of showing a lack of respect and that by hiding the product page on its website, rather than deleting it immediately, the company had handled the situation very poorly.
It’s unclear what the original product description on Toot Kit's website said, although the final version before it was deleted did say that any profits would be donated to the Just Giving fund set up by James Hayden to raise money to support Hall’s partner and family.
Asked by one member of the Transcontinental Race group on Facebook, Neil Davey, to confirm it had permission from Hall’s family, Toot Kit founder and designer Belinda Duffy said simply: “We aren’t doing the jerseys too stressful!”
In a post on Facebook, subsequently deleted, Toot Kit said: “Apologise for any hurt our memorial kit has caused. We were trying to help his family fund the future. Everything has been taken down from our website and we won’t help in the future. Thanks for your support.”
In an update on the Just Giving page this morning, Hayden said: “Thanks for all the support,” but added: “Please consider an idea before implementing.
“Some tribute kit and alike has appeared online, while a nice idea, it's a bit soon and without permission from family members is a bit ill thought. Thank you.”
Donations passed the £75,000 mark earlier today.
> One thousand cyclists ride in Sydney in memory of Mike Hall