Amusan, Nigeria’s 100m hurdles world champion and record holder, had taken to Snapchat on the eve of the championships to lambast officials over what she described as unprofessional handling of athletes’ gear. She complained that, unlike their foreign counterparts who received fully packaged suitcases of apparel, Nigerian athletes were handed their kits in nylon bags with little or no extras.
The 27-year-old also highlighted the absence of shoes despite officials previously collecting athletes’ sizes, questioning the seriousness of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
But AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, quickly refuted her allegations, insisting that all athletes received the complete set of kits as arranged with HiRacer, a global sportswear company sponsoring competitors from 20 nations at the Tokyo championships. He further argued that Amusan herself received special consideration in her travel arrangements.
Dikko, appearing on Channels Television on Monday, echoed this defence, stressing that Nigeria’s gear was of the same quality used by world-class athletes from other countries.
“The kits
are not inferior. I actually thought the AFN should be commended for securing the HiRacer deal so quickly,” he said.He admitted, however, that the uproar may have stemmed from presentation rather than quality. “It is probably about the packaging. Other countries may have had theirs boxed or bulk-delivered, while ours came in simpler form. But the material and quality are the same,” he explained.
Dikko added that athletes who excel at the championships would also benefit from bonuses and incentives tied to the sponsorship arrangement with HiRacer.
This latest row rekindles memories of Nigeria’s chequered history with kit controversies at international tournaments. From the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, athletes have repeatedly raised concerns over poor preparation, inadequate gear, and late delivery of uniforms.
Amusan, who made history in 2022 as Nigeria’s first-ever World Championships gold medallist, has long been vocal about athlete welfare. Her outburst this time has once again sparked debate over whether Nigerian sports administrators have learnt from past failings.
With pressure mounting for transparency and professionalism in sports management, observers say the NSC’s defence may not be enough to silence criticism unless deeper issues of planning and athlete welfare are addressed.
