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Manchester United: Schweinsteiger may sue over Nazi dolls

Manchester United: Schweinsteiger may sue over Nazi dolls

Image copyrightGetty Images/Dragon in DreamImage captionA Dragon in Dream spokesman denied the doll was based on United midfielder Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger is considering taking legal action against a Hong Kong company making Nazi dolls that bear a striking resemblance to him.

The Manchester United midfielder's management company put the matter into the hands of their German-based lawyers earlier this week.

The dolls, named 'World War II Army Supply Duty - Bastian', are made in China by Dragon in Dream.

The company told German paper Bild any resemblance was "purely coincidental".

"We don't sell any figures which resemble footballers. It is a complete coincidence that the figure 'Bastian' looks like Schweinsteiger," a spokesman added.

"We thought that all Germans look like that. Bastian is also a very common name in Germany."

The figurine comes in several outfits - including a version with a steel helmet, white winter jacket and woollen gloves, and another in a typical army uniform, complete with the "Wehrmachtsadler" insignia, an eagle with a swastika above the right breast pocket.

The doll is on sale for about $120 (£80).

"This is a clear violation of Schweinsteiger's personality rights," a German media lawyer told Bild.

"Everyone has rights to their own image. To see him as a swastika-bearing Wehrmacht soldier also constitutes a gross defamation and insult," Ulrich Amelung said.

German international midfielder Schweinsteiger, 31, joined United on a three-year deal in July, moving from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a reported £14.4m.

He has made 15 appearances for Louis van Gaal's side so far this season, providing one assist.

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