2022 C’wealth Games: Sports ministry denies kits scandal in Team Nigeria
Team Nigeria with Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare
THE Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has debunked reports on AFP that Team Nigeria arrived in Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth Games without kits.
It was reported that a British sportswear manufacturer had to answer an SOS call from Nigeria’s Commonwealth national team officials not named. 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.
It was alleged that the team had to make 200 pieces of kit including running vests and shorts and staff tracksuits. “It’s wonderful.”
“There’s all the fabric, the print, the designs to get out in two days, it was a bit difficult,” said Rufinato.
“As it progressed I started getting emails with orders on, so at that point I thought, hang on. When they hit us with the deadline saying it needs to be there for Friday and today was Tuesday.”
He said he would pay even keener attention to the Games after providing the emergency help to the 400 Nigerian badges. However, sports minister Sunday Dare disclosed to Sportingtribunethat the story was untrue, adding that all the athletes and officials from the nine sporting federations have received their kits.
“I don’t know about this. I know that the Team Nigeria kits are fully ready and all athletes have been assigned their kits,” he said