German sportswear manufacturing company, Puma, has pulled the plug on its four-year kits sponsorship contract with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN.
The contract, signed on July 24, 2019, in Doha by the AFN board under Ibrahim Gusau, was expected to expire in 2022 and has been the genesis of a major crisis that the AFN has been contending with till date.
Part of the deal stated that Puma will supply kits to all age categories of Nigeria’s athletics team for four years.
The contract also includes monetary rewards for Nigerian athletes who don the sportswear during medal presentations at the Olympics games – with gold medalists earning $15,000, silver medalists getting $5,000 while a bronze medal will attract $3,000.
The contract, according to findings, has led to an ongoing legal battle between the Ministry of Sports and the factional AFN board.
Also, Gusau, alongside the technical director of the AFN, Sunday Adeleye, was dragged to court by the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, for the alleged diversion of over $75,000.
Consequently, the ministry refused to allow the Nigerian athletics team to don the Puma branded sportswear at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, arguing that it is “a subject of a criminal investigation.”
In it’s reaction to the development, Puma, in a letter addressed to the AFN, announced the sudden termination of the contract – about two years after it was signed.
The Puma letter, dated August 4, explained that the premature termination of the contract is due to the inability of Nigerian athletes to wear the brand at the ongoing Olympics.
The letter added, “We are referring to the licensing and sponsoring agreement signed between our company and your federation.
“As a direct consequence of the recent developments, particularly at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, and pursuant to clauses 9.2 and 7.3 of the agreement, we hereby terminate the agreement with immediate effect.
“Puma especially declares to be discharged from any or all obligations towards all stakeholders involved and reserves all rights against these entities and individuals.”
Recall that the Nigerian Olympics Team was also hit by a ban placed on 10 athletes for failure to comply with pre-competition drug testing requirements; and the disqualification of star sprinter, Blessing Okagbare after failing a drug test.
Nigerian Athletes took to Tokyo streets to protest what they refer to as perceived negligence on the part of the AFN after the sordid development.
Meanwhile, the situation in the Nigerian camp was worsened by an underhand attempt by team officials to corner the next generation mobile phones meant for all registered athletes. The officials had claimed that the disqualified athletes were not entitled to the phones, even though Samsung Corporation had donated the phones without prejudice.
