NSC Boss Defends Quality of Athletes’ Kits Amid Amusan’s Criticism

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has dismissed claims that Nigerian athletes received substandard kits at the ongoing 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

His comments follow criticisms from world record holder and hurdler, Tobi Amusan, who faulted the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) over the distribution of what she described as poorly packaged and incomplete competition gear. Amusan, in a video shared on her Snapchat, lamented that unlike other countries providing athletes with suitcases of quality kits, Nigerians received nylon bags without basic items such as shoes, despite officials collecting athletes’ sizes beforehand.

AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, and Dikko both rejected Amusan’s allegations, insisting that the kits were supplied by global sportswear sponsor HiRacer, which also outfits athletes from several other countries. Dikko argued that the items were of standard quality and suggested that the backlash may have stemmed from packaging and distribution methods rather than the kits themselves.

This controversy comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s history of disputes over athlete equipment, from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to the 2022 Commonwealth Games. While Amusan’s concerns have reignited debates about athlete welfare and preparation, the NSC maintains that the federation fulfilled its obligations and that Nigerian athletes are equipped with the same standard of gear as their international peers.