Top German fashion and sportswear manufacturing brand, PUMA has terminated its four year deal with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) worth $2.76m over breach of contract. The deal was cancelled on Wednesday after PUMA alleged that Nigerian athletes at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics were not wearing kits from the brand. This, they stressed, was contrary to the terms of the deal with AFN.
In a letter dated 4th August 2021 and signed by the company’s Brand director, Manuel Edlheimb, PUMA said it was officially notifying the AFN of its termination of Sponsoring and Licensing Agreement.
“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.
“PUMA especially declares to be discharged from any or all obligations towards all stakeholders involved and reserves all rights against these entities and individuals”.
The AFN under the leadership of Engr Ibrahim Gusau signed a 4 year contract with PUMA in 2019 and was due to expire in 2022.
Part of the contract is that PUMA will supply apparels to all age categories to Nigeria’s Athletics team for four years at no cost.
In addition, gold medalists at the Olympic Games will earn $15,000, silver medalists will get 5,000 while a bronze medal will fetch athletes wearing the PUMA apparel at the games $3000.
It was reported earlier that the minister of Youth and sports Sunday Dare had vowed in a statement that Nigerian Athletics athletes to the Games will not wear PUMA because of a leadership tussle in the AFN.
Several efforts were made to give the athletes the PUMA kits including shipping bags of kits with 40 items each to Tokyo through the Nigerian Embassy in Japan but all prove abortive.
It was revealed that the imbroglio had caused so much discomfiture to the Nigerian team in Tokyo. For instance there was massive controversy over an athlete, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who posted a video of himself washing his Olympic Jersey along with a caption “When you made the Olympic finals but have only one Jersey” on Instagram.
The post trended on social media with many Nigerians asking why an athlete will be given only one jersey for a competition that will last for about two weeks.