Tokyo Olympics: PUMA terminates contract with Nigeria

German sportswear manufacturer, PUMA, has terminated its four-year contract with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.

PUMA confirmed this in a letter dated Wednesday, August 4, 2021, and signed by the company’s director Manuel Edlheimb.

The letter read in part, “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.”

The $2.76m deal was signed on July 24, 2019. It however led to a major crisis within the AFN and the emergence of two factions.

Ibrahim Gusau and Sunday Adeleye were accused of sidelining other board members.

Part of the contract stipulated that PUMA will supply kits to all age categories at no cost.

In addition, gold medalists at the Olympic Games will get $15,000, silver medalists will receive $5,000 while a bronze medal will fetch athletes wearing the PUMA apparel at the games $3,000.

However, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports led by Sunday Dare, rejected the offers for the Team Nigeria athletes to wear the kits in Tokyo, insisting the contract was “a subject of a criminal investigation”.