Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has refuted allegations by Nigeria’s track star, Tobi Amusan, that the kits supplied to athletes for the ongoing World Championships in Tokyo were substandard.
Amusan, the former world champion and 100m hurdles record holder, had taken to Snapchat to express her displeasure over what she described as poor organisation and lack of professionalism by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
She complained that, unlike other nations whose athletes received kits neatly packaged in suitcases, Nigerian athletes were given nylon bags with minimal content. She also faulted the quality of the gear and noted that despite officials requesting shoe sizes, no shoes were provided.
Responding during an interview on Channels Television, Dikko insisted that the kits, procured through sportswear company HiRacer, were of international standard.
“The kits are not inferior. I thought the AFN should have been praised for quickly getting the transaction with HiRacer,” he said.
Dikko explained that the misunderstanding likely stemmed from the way the items were packaged rather than their quality.
“If you look at other countries, they are also using similar kits from HiRacer. It is just probably about the packaging because it was not put in a box or bought in bulk like others are doing,” Dikko added.
He further argued that Amusan’s dissatisfaction may have been tied more to presentation than substance.
“Probably she has an issue with the packaging, the quantity, yes. But the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has already explained that they are providing the kits in bits and pieces, so it shouldn’t really be an issue,” he stated.
Dikko also disclosed that the HiRacer deal included performance-based bonuses for Nigerian athletes.
“The athletes have been using the same kits, and those kits are comparable in quality to what any other athlete is using. That is the situation with the kits,” he said.
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