Birmingham 2022: How Sports Ministry/NOC Procured Kits Late In UK For Team Nigeria

Birmingham 2022: How Sports Ministry/NOC Procured Kits Late In UK For Team Nigeria

Alfred Kadiri

Nigeria was yet again embarrassed by the Sports Ministry and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) after Team Nigeria athletes and officials got to Birmingham, host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games without official kits, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

This coming less than a week Nigerians on social media blasted the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for the poor kits given to the athletes owing to the vest sprinter Favour Ofili wore during the 4x100m relay event at the just-concluded 18th World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States.

The letter ‘i’ was missing from the spelling of Nigeria on the vest.

With lessons not learnt from the embarrassment, the Sports Ministry took Team Nigeria for ride as it ordered for kits 48hrs to the opening ceremony of the games.

A British sportswear manufacturer had to answer an SOS call from Nigeria's Commonwealth 

Games team after they were left with no kit.

Gino Rufinato, manager of the MG Sportswear firm, which is based in a town near host city Birmingham, at first thought it was a "wind-up" before launching his 14 staff into action.

"As it progressed I started getting emails with orders on, so at that point I thought, hang on, I think this is serious," he told the BBC.

"When they hit us with the deadline saying it needs to be there for Friday and today was Tuesday... there's all the fabric, the print, the designs to get out in two days. It was a bit hair-

raising."

His team had to make 200 pieces of kit including running vests and shorts, staff tracksuits and even 400 Nigerian badges.

Rufinato said it had been "panic stations" but his staff had embaced the challenge.

He said he would pay even keener attention to the Games affer providing the emergency help.

"I still pinch myself -- I'll be looking on the telly and seeing the MG Sportswear brand for a 

national team," he said.

"It's wonderful."