AFN Under Pressure to Clarify 'Complete Kits' Claims Amid Amusan’s Allegations

AFN Under Pressure to Clarify 'Complete Kits' Claims Amid Amusan’s Allegations

By BSN Sports 

 Athletics stakeholders are demanding greater transparency from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) following public criticism by World Record holder Tobi Amusan over the gear provided to Nigerian athletes competing at the 20th World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The controversy intensified after Amusan posted a now-viral video on social media, alleging that athletes received incomplete kits from the federation. In the video, Amusan – an Olympic finalist, three-time Diamond League champion, and former world champion – displayed the items she received, which were reportedly missing key essentials such as a competition bag, athletic spikes, and training shoes.

In response, the AFN issued a press statement dismissing the claims, asserting that “complete kits” were distributed to all athletes, who are currently competing in them. AFN President Chief Tonobok Okowa described the concerns as “exaggerated” and insisted that Team Nigeria is fully equipped and focused on delivering top performances.

However, Amusan’s video has prompted skepticism from within the athletics community, with coaches, former athletes, and sports administrators calling on the AFN to define what it considers to be a “complete kit.”

According to SportsNow, stakeholders argue that, by international standards, a full kit for elite competition typically includes:

Competition singlets and shorts or briefs

Warm-up gear such as tracksuits and jackets

Rain gear

Event-specific footwear (e.g. spikes, throwing shoes)

Training sneakers

Accessories like compression gear, headbands, and wristbands

Support equipment such as water bottles, energy supplements, towels, and recovery tools like foam rollers

Many critics are questioning whether the AFN’s interpretation meets these expectations. They also criticized the lack of visual documentation of the distribution process, noting that no photos or videos have been released to corroborate the federation’s claims.

“There is no excuse in this era of smartphones not to have a record of what was given to each athlete,” said a former national team coach, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Federations from other countries document everything. Why should ours be hidden behind a press release?”

Several observers have also pointed to footage of athletes from other nations receiving well-organized, clearly branded, and comprehensive kit packages, contrasting it with Nigeria’s unverified claims.

Calls are now mounting for the AFN to publicly release video evidence of what was distributed to each athlete in Tokyo. Stakeholders argue that transparency is essential to restore public confidence and ensure accountability in the management of national athletes.