Former Nigeria sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, has joined athletics stakeholders across Nigeria in berating the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for saying that women’s 100m hurdles’ world record holder, Tobi Amusan, has no reason to complain about the kits provided for the athletes at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Amusan, at the weekend, posted a video that showed the incomplete competition wears handed the athletes, which did not include a competition bag, spikes, and trainers or tennis shoes, when other countries provided their athletes with the full complement of wears, including track suits among others.
Rather than address Amusan’s complaints in the viral video, the AFN said that the Olympic finalist, three-time Diamond League winner, former world champion and five-time African champion, had no reason to raise any eyebrow since the federation bought a business class ticket for her to attend the championships in Tokyo.
In a statement by AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, the federation dismissed Amusan’s claims, insisting that all athletes were given “complete kits” and were currently wearing them in Tokyo.
Okagbare said that such comment shouldn’t have come from a responsible organisation.
Recalling a similar incident at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Okagbare wrote in her X handle: “You are trying to condemn an athlete for stating the obvious. So what if you bought her a business class flight ticket?
“You know, in 2021, when we got the best sponsorship deal from a shoes company, those in power from the MOC and FP, even one always acting as the federation president, while he wasn’t anymore, did all they could to sabotage it.
“I asked one what they stood to gain if we didn’t get those gears, and he rolled his eyes at me.
“I wrote about it on my social media platform, and I got a message warning me to stay out if it or I would get what I was looking for.
“Days later, we all saw what happened.”
The Guardian recalls that the AFN had a deal worth $2.7 million in 2019 to supply athletes with uniforms for four years.
“The athletes were to receive 40 items each, but Puma pulled out of the deal when one of the athletes was recorded re-washing his uniform and 10 other Nigerian athletes were barred from competing at the 2020 Olympics because the AFN failed to register them for periodic dope testing.
In the deal, Puma would have paid $15,000 for each gold medal won by any of the athletes, $5,000 for silver and $3,000 for bronze.
According to reports, Puma felt shortchanged when the then sports minister allegedly did not allow the athletes to wear the kits because the deal was negotiated without his consent.
